Linguinewithham Recipes

LINGUINE WITH HAM & SWISS CHEESE

Steps:

• Cook linguine according to package directions; drain. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the ham, soup, 2 cups cheese, sour cream, onion, green pepper and butter. Add the pasta; toss to coat., Transfer to a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Cover and bake at 350° for 35 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake until cheese is melted, 15-20 minutes longer.

COOK'S HAM LINGUINE

Steps:

• 1. While the pasta is cooking, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan begins to smoke, sauté the garlic for one minute. Add the ham and continue to sauté until the ham begins to brown. Finally, add the capers and the peas, sauté for one more minute.
• 2. While the skillet is still hot, drain the pasta and add to the ham mixture. Add the lemon zest, juice, salt, pepper, and 2 more tablespoons of olive oil. Sauté for 1-2 minutes to let the flavors combine. Remove from heat and toss with herbs. Serve immediately.

LEMON LINGUINE

Steps:

• Fill just about the biggest pot you have with water and bring to a boil. When friends are coming for lunch, get the water heated to boiling point before they arrive, otherwise you end up nervously hanging around waiting for a watched pot to boil while your supposedly quick lunch gets later and later. Bring the water to the boil, cover and turn off burner.
• I tend to leave the addition of salt until the water comes to a boil a second time. But whichever way you do it, add quite a bit of salt. When the bubbling's encouragingly fierce, put in the pasta. I often put the lid on for a moment or so just to let the pasta get back to the boil, but don't turn your back on it, and give it a good stir with a pasta fork or whatever to avoid even the suspicion of stickiness, once you've removed the lid.
• Then get on with the sauce, making sure you've set your timer for about a minute or so less than the time specified on the package of pasta.
• In a bowl, add the yolks, cream, Parmesan, zest of the whole lemon and juice of half of it, the salt and good grind of pepper, and beat with a fork. You don't want it fluffy, just combined. Taste. If you want it more lemony, then of course add more juice.
• When the timer goes off, taste to judge how near the pasta is to being ready. I recommend that you hover by the stove so you don't miss that point. Don't be too hasty, though. Everyone is so keen to cook their pasta properly al dente that sometimes the pasta is actually not cooked enough. You want absolutely no chalkiness here. And linguine (or at least I find it so) tend not to run over into soggy overcookedness quite as quickly as other long pasta. This makes sense, of course, as the strands of "little tongues" are dense than the flat ribbon shapes.
• Anyway, as soon as the pasta looks ready, remove a cup of the cooking liquid, drain the pasta, and then, off the heat, toss it back in the pot or put it in an efficiently preheated bowl, throw in the butter, and stir and swirl about to make sure the butter's melted and the pasta covered by it all over. Each strand will be only mutely gleaming, as there's not much butter and quite a bit of pasta. If you want to add more, then do; good butter is the best flavoring, best texture, best mood enhancer there is.
• When you're satisfied the pasta's covered with its soft slip of butter, then stir in the egg mixture and turn the pasta well in it, adding some of the cooking liquid if it looks a bit dry (only 2 tablespoons or so - you don't want a wet mess - and only after you think the sauce is incorporated). Sprinkle over the parsley and serve now, now, now.

PASTA WITH 15-MINUTE HAM, PEA, AND CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• Cook farfalle in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente; drain, reserving 2 Tbsp. pasta cooking liquid.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high. Add shallots and 1/2 tsp. salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes (do not brown). Add ham, peas, and cream. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in lemon zest, 2 Tbsp. parsley, and 1/2 tsp. pepper.
• Return pasta to pot. Toss with sauce and reserved pasta cooking liquid; season with salt and pepper. Divide among plates, then top with parsley and Parmesan and season with more pepper.

LINGUINE WITH MUSHROOMS & HAM

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add linguine pasta, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente; drain.
• Melt butter in a saute pan over medium heat. Cook and stir onion, garlic, and mushrooms in butter until tender. Reduce heat, and slowly stir in cream. Continue cooking until sauce has thickened, add ham and basil, and simmer for 10 more minutes.
• In a large bowl, toss linguine with cream sauce, and season with freshly ground black pepper.

MAKEOVER LINGUINE WITH HAM & SWISS CHEESE

Steps:

• Cook linguine according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the ham, 1-1/2 cups cheese, soup, sour cream, onion and green pepper. Drain pasta; add to ham mixture and stir to coat. , Transfer to a 13x9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Cover and bake at 350° for 35 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake until cheese is melted, 10-15 minutes longer.

LINGUINE WITH HAM

Steps:

• Cut the ham into thin strips, each about 2 inches long. There should be about 2 cups.
• Drop the tomatoes into boiling water and let stand 10 seconds. Drain. Peel and core tomatoes, cut crosswise in half, remove seeds and dice into 1/2-inch cubes. There should be about 2 cups.
• Slice mushrooms thin. There should be about 3 cups.
• If fresh peas are used, cook in boiling water to cover for 30 seconds or longer, depending on size and age. If frozen, put in sieve and run under hot water from faucet. Drain.
• Heat oil in skillet and add the mushrooms. Cook, stirring often, about 2 minutes.
• Add garlic, tomatoes and ham and stir to blend. Cook over high heat about 2 minutes. Add peas, salt and pepper and stir.
• Add cream and basil leaves. Bring to boil.
• Bring three quarts of water to boil and add salt to taste. Drop in pasta and cook until tender, 3 minutes or to desired doneness.
• Put egg in large, warm mixing bowl. Drain noodles and add to egg. Add hot sauce and toss. Serve with grated cheese.

LINGUINE WITH HAM

Steps:

• In a 6-quart Dutch oven, cook linguines according to package directions.
• Drain, return to Dutch oven.
• Add butter, ham, and mushrooms.
• In a small bowl combine whipping cream and egg yolks; beat well.
• Slowly stir the egg mixture into the linguine, mixing well.
• Add 1/4 of the grated Parmesan cheese.
• Cook over medium heat until thickened, stirring gently.
• Spoon onto individual serving plates.
• Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese.

LINGUINE WITH MUSHROOMS AND HAM SAUCE

Steps:

• In a big skillet, heat oil at medium heat. Add onion, garlic and cook, stirring from time to time, for about 5 minutes or until onion has soften. Add mushrooms, sherry or wine and cook for about 5 minutes or until mushrooms have soften. Sprinkle with flour and stir.
• With a whisk, add milk slowly and keep cooking, stirring from time to time, for about 12 minutes or until the sauce has thicken. Add ham, parsley, salt and pepper and stir.
• In the meantime, in a big casserole with boiling salted water, cook pasta 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain pasta and put back in the casserole. Add the mushrooms and ham sauce and stir to coat well.

SPINACH LINGUINE WITH HAM AND BROCCOLI

Steps:

• In a 3-quart heavy-bottom saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add ham, and cook, stirring occasionally,until starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Add garlic; cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in flour; cook 1 minute.
• Stir in milk, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until mixture is slightly thickened,4 to 5 minutes. Stir in cream cheese; cook until melted, about 1 minute.
• Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente according to package instructions, adding broccoli during final 3 minutes. Drain; transfer pasta and broccoli to a large bowl. Add cream-cheese sauce and Parmesan, and toss to combine. Serve immediately.

CREAMY LINGUINE WITH HAM, LEMON & BASIL

Steps:

• Cook the linguine. Meanwhile, tear the ham into small pieces and fry in the olive oil until golden and crisp.
• Drain the pasta, reserving a little of the cooking water, then return to the pan. Tip in the cooked ham. Mix together the lemon juice, egg yolks and crème fraîche, then add this to the pan along with the basil and Parmesan. Mix in with tongs, adding a little of the cooking water, if needed, to make a creamy sauce that coats the pasta. Serve with extra Parmesan grated over the top, if you like.

LEMON LINGUINE WITH HAM

Steps:

• Cook pasta following pack instructions, adding the peas for the final 2 mins of cooking.
• Drain the pasta well and return to the pan. Stir in the crème fraîche, lemon zest and juice, then season. Serve with the ham strips scattered over.