Ingredients (~6 servings)
- 1 lb bow tie pasta
- 3 Tbsp butter
- 1/2 cup spring onion, thinly sliced
- 1 Tbsp garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
- 1/2 tsp ground mustard
- 1 cup ham, cut into 1/4 inch strips
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 Tbsp lemon zest
- 2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 3 Tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Cook the Pasta and Reserve Some Water
Get a large pot of salted water boiling and cook the bow ties until al dente – usually ~8-10 minutes depending on the brand.
Before you drain, scoop out 3/4 cup of the starchy pasta water and set it aside.
Drain the pasta and toss it back in the pot with 2 Tbsp of that reserved water to keep it from sticking together.
Start the Cream Sauce Base
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, then add the spring onion.
Sauté for ~3 minutes until softened, then add the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
Build the Roux and Add Cream
Sprinkle the flour over the onions and garlic, whisking constantly.
Cook this for 1 minute to get rid of the raw flour taste – you’ll smell when it’s ready.
Slowly pour in the heavy cream while whisking to avoid lumps. The mixture will thicken as it heats up.
Whisk in the mascarpone, Parmesan, and ground mustard until you have a smooth sauce. Add 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water to thin it out.
Add Ham and Peas
Stir in the ham and peas and let everything heat through for ~3-5 minutes.
Pull the pan off the heat and stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, 2 Tbsp of the parsley, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
Combine Everything and Serve
Pour the sauce over the pasta and toss until everything is well coated.
If the sauce seems too thick, add more of that reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time until it’s creamy but not soupy.
Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed.
Garnish with the remaining parsley and extra Parmesan cheese before serving.
Creamy Bow Tie Pasta with Ham
Ingredients
Ingredients (~6 servings)
- 1 lb bow tie pasta
- 3 Tbsp butter
- 1/2 cup spring onion, thinly sliced
- 1 Tbsp garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
- 1/2 tsp ground mustard
- 1 cup ham, cut into 1/4 inch strips
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 Tbsp lemon zest
- 2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 3 Tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Instructions
- Boil salted water and cook bow tie pasta until al dente, about 8-10 minutes.
- Reserve 3/4 cup pasta water before draining.
- Melt butter in large saucepan, sauté spring onions for 3 minutes, then add garlic and cook 1 minute.
- Sprinkle flour over onions, whisk and cook 1 minute.
- Slowly pour in cream, whisking to prevent lumps.
- Add mascarpone, Parmesan, and ground mustard, stirring until smooth.
- Stir in ham and peas, heat through 3-5 minutes.
- Remove from heat, add lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
- Pour sauce over pasta, tossing to coat evenly.
- Thin sauce with reserved pasta water if needed.
- Garnish with remaining parsley and Parmesan.