1 lb (16 oz) pasta – I used Etto’s Conchiglie pasta
1/2 bunch asparagus, cut diagonally into 1-inch spears
1 – 1.5 cups diced ham
1 cup english peas
4 tbsp salted butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cups of whole milk
1 lemon, juiced plus zest for finishing
1 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish if desired
Olive oil for sautéing
Salt and pepper to taste
Reserved pasta water (for thinning sauce, if desired)
Red pepper flakes to finish (optional)
Directions
In a large dutch oven or pot, cook pasta according to directions in salted water until al dente, usually 1-2 minutes less than recommended cook time. Reserve about 1 cup pasta water, then drain. Add some olive oil or butter to the pasta so it doesn’t stick too much while sitting.
In a smaller separate pot, make the pasta sauce. Start by making a quick roux by melting the butter over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook ~1 minute until fragrant.
Stir in the flour and cook for another minute, stirring to get a paste-like consistency.
Slowly whisk in the milk, making sure no lumps form. Simmer 3-5 minutes until it thickens slightly. Stir in lemon juice and parmesan, then mix until smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
Next, in the pot you cooked the pasta in, warm olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the ham and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring halfway through.
Follow that up by adding the cut up asparagus spears and cook with the ham for 3-5 minutes, or until bright green. Finish by stirring in the peas and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
Add the drained pasta to the ham/vegetable mixture, followed by the pasta sauce. Stir and cook until the sauce starts to coat the pasta, about 3-5 minutes. If needed, add some reserved pasta water to reduce the thickness of the sauce. Taste and add additional salt and pepper, if desired.
Serve hot into bowls, finishing with some lemon zest and additional parmesan cheese on top.
Leftovers will keep well in the fridge covered for 3-4 days!
