Ham It Up Primavera Recipes

HAM IT UP PRIMAVERA

Steps:

• Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute asparagus and carrots in butter for 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and zucchini; saute until crisp-tender. , Stir in the ham, peas, onions, basil, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add cream. Bring to a boil; cook and stir 2 minutes. , Drain spaghetti; place in a large bowl. Add vegetable mixture and 1/2 cup cheese; toss to combine. Serve with remaining cheese.

PASTA PRIMAVERA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• On a large heavy baking sheet, toss all of the vegetables with the oil, salt, pepper, and dried herbs to coat. Transfer half of the vegetable mixture to another heavy large baking sheet and arrange evenly over the baking sheets. Bake until the carrots are tender and the vegetables begin to brown, stirring after the first 10 minutes, about 20 minutes total.
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
• Toss the pasta with the vegetable mixtures in a large bowl to combine. Toss with the cherry tomatoes and enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten. Season the pasta with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and serve immediately.

PRIMAVERA WITH PROSCIUTTO, ASPARAGUS AND CARROTS

Steps:

• Bring a pot of water to a boil, salt it generously and cook the pasta for 8 minutes; add the asparagus, carrot and snap peas and cook for 3 minutes. Check the pasta and vegetables to make sure they're cooked through but still have texture, then drain.
• While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large saute pan, add the ham and shallot and cook until lightly browned, 3 minutes or so. Add the garlic and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the cream, stock and mustard and simmer for a minute or two, scraping up any brown bits.
• Add the pasta and vegetables to the pan. Toss and cook for another 2 minutes, until cooked through and the pasta is coated. Taste for seasoning, add salt if necessary and serve immediately in warm bowls.

HAM PRIMAVERA

Steps:

• Cook the pasta while you are preparing the rest of the dish in a large saute pan. Reserve a little of the pasta water to add to the sauce if you would like to thin it a bit.
• Saute the onion and garlic in the butter for 2-3 minutes.
• Add the carrots and saute for a couple more minutes.
• Then add the broccoli and cook until bright green. I cover it and let the veggies get nearly done, as my family does not like their veggies with any crunch left.
• Add the ham, mustard and the italian seasoning and saute for a couple more minutes.
• Toss in the cooked spaghetti noodles and serve.

PRETTY HAM PRIMAVERA

Steps:

• In a large skillet, saute mushrooms and onion in oil until tender. Stir in the flour, Italian seasoning, bouillon, salt and pepper until smooth. , Gradually add milk, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in the spaghetti, ham and peas; heat through. Sprinkle with cheese if desired.

PASTA PRIMAVERA WITH SMOKY HAM

Steps:

• Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water 7 minutes. Add asparagus and cook 3 minutes. Add asparagus and cook 3 minutes. Add bell pepper. Boil until pasta and asparagus are just tender but still firm to bite and bell pepper strips are slightly softened, about 30 seconds longer. Drain well.
• Meanwhile, stir ham in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat until beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Add cream. chicken broth and mustard and boil sauce 2 minutes, stirring up and browned bits.
• Add pasta mixture to skillet. Toss until sauce coats pasta mixture, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

WHITE BEAN PRIMAVERA

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a 12-inch skillet (preferably straight-sided) over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini and 1 teaspoon salt, and stir, then cook undisturbed in an even layer until one side is golden, about 4 minutes. (It's great if the butter browns, but decrease the heat if it threatens to get too dark.) Stir in the asparagus, carrot and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in the peas, scallions and ½ teaspoon salt, then add the red-pepper flakes, oregano and a generous amount of black pepper. Cook, stirring, until the peas are warmed through and bright green, about 2 minutes.
• Add the white beans and the cream, lower the heat to medium, and let the cream come to a simmer. Simmer for about 1 minute.
• Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice, Parmesan and Dijon. Taste and season with more salt, pepper or lemon juice as needed. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of warm water to the creamy beans to loosen as you like; the sauce will thicken as it cools. (You may need more water when you reheat any leftovers.) Serve in bowls topped with the nuts and a handful of basil leaves. Pass more Parmesan at the table.

CHEF JOHN'S PASTA PRIMAVERA

Steps:

• Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Hold basil bunch by the stems and dip basil leaves in boiling water until bright green, about 2 seconds. Immediately immerse basil in ice water for several minutes until cold to stop the cooking process. Once the basil is cold, drain well. Remove basil leaves from stems and discard stems.
• Blend basil leaves, 1 cup chicken broth, 1/2 cup olive oil, and garlic together in a blender until smooth.
• Stir fettuccine into the same pot of boiling water, bring back to a boil, and cook pasta over medium heat until cooked through but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain.
• Heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir leek and green onion in hot oil until softened, about 5 minutes. Add jalapeno and salt; cook and stir until jalapeno is soft, about 5 minutes.
• Increase heat to medium-high. Stir 2 cups chicken broth, zucchini, sugar snap peas, and English peas into jalapeno mixture; bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Add asparagus and continue cooking until asparagus is soft, about 3 minutes more.
• Pour 1/4 cup basil-garlic mixture into zucchini mixture and cook and stir until heated through, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
• Place pasta in a large bowl; pour zucchini mixture over pasta and pour remaining basil-garlic mixture over the zucchini mixture. Spread Parmesan cheese over the top. Toss mixture briefly to combine and tightly wrap bowl with aluminum foil. Let stand until pasta and vegetables soak up most of the juices and oil, about 5 minutes. Toss again.