This past Saturday saw our first holiday party of the season. We gathered together with family and friends from our church to enjoy a delicious holiday meal and celebrate the the birth of Jesus.
The meal was provided for potluck style as is our modem operandi. The list goes out and we all sign up, contributing main dishes, sides, and desserts. And since we enjoy a fellowship meal together after church two to three times a month, we have the system down pretty well.
My hubby worked on his sermon, the kids played and napped and played some more, and I cooked and baked and kneaded dough.
By five o’clock, the pound cake was fresh out of the oven, and the dinner rolls and ham were packed and ready to go.
We had a great time. The no dessert after dinner rule was temporarily lifted. And at the end of the evening, we packed up our still energetic children in our van along with some leftover cake and ham.
Now, we didn’t have much ham left. Certainly not enough for it to be the central figure in the next night’s meal. But, that’s the thing I love about leftovers– it only takes a small amount and the options are myriad. Ok, well maybe not myriad, but usually there are at least ten viable options with any grouping of leftovers.
Tonight, a small amount of leftover roasted asparagus and an even smaller amount of holiday ham were the inspiring catalysts for dinner.
Whether or not you use fresh or boxed pasta, tossing pasta with ham and asparagus is a delicious way to reinvent holiday leftovers.
I’m admittedly partial to fresh pasta (find out how to make it here). But using boxed pasta and leftovers make this a great meal that comes together quickly and does justice to the tastiness of the holiday ham. So even though fresh pasta is my weakness, I do keep packaged pasta on hand for the nights when I don’t have time or motivation to make it.
If you don’t have leftover asparagus, peas or green beans or Brussel sprouts or another similar veggie would work.
Or, of course, using fresh (non-leftover) asparagus or ham is an option too. Because the combination of pasta, ham, and asparagus shouldn’t have to only be the result of having this fortuitous combination of leftovers in your fridge.
Ham & Asparagus Pasta (Leftover Holiday Ham Pasta)
Serves 4
Ingredient List
- angel hair pasta (3 eggs & 2C flour, or a 1 lb. box)
- 1 C chopped ham
- 1 C cooked asparagus, sliced into 1-inch pieces
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- butter
- olive oil
- kosher salt
Method
1. If making fresh pasta, make the dough and let it rest while you start the onions.
2. Melt 2 Tbsp butter in a nonstick skillet. Add a tablespoon of olive oil and the chopped onion. Sprinkle in a pinch of kosher salt and stir to evenly coat the onions in the butter/oil mixture. Cook over medium heat 15-20 minutes or until the onions have softened and darkened, stirring two to three times while they cook. (If you are using fresh asparagus, cook it along with the onions until they are fork tender).
3. If making fresh pasta, roll out the dough and let it dry for ten minutes or so before cutting the noodles. When the pasta is still still pliable but not wet or tacky to the touch, cut your noodles. Leave them to rest while you assemble the remaining ingredients.
4. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add a tablespoon of olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the cooking water.
5. When the onions are darkened, add the chopped asparagus and ham to the pan and heat through for about 5 minutes. When all the ingredients in the pan are heated, reduce the heat to low.
6. Boil the pasta (2-3 minutes for fresh pasta, or follow directions on the box for packaged pasta). Drain in a colander set over a bowl. Reserve 1/2 C of cooking liquid.
7. Transfer the cooked pasta to a serving bowl and toss with 1 Tbsp butter and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Add ham mixture and toss well to blend. Use a little of the reserved cooking liquid if needed to loosen up the pasta.
8. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and season with additional salt as desired.
What is your favorite way to use leftover ham?
- angel hair pasta (3 eggs & 2C flour, or a 1 lb. box)
- 1 C chopped ham
- 1 C cooked asparagus, sliced into 1-inch pieces
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- butter
- olive oil
- kosher salt
- If making fresh pasta, make the dough and let it rest while you start the onions.
- Melt 2 Tbsp butter in a nonstick skillet. Add a tablespoon of olive oil and the chopped onion. Sprinkle in a pinch of kosher salt and stir to evenly coat the onions in the butter/oil mixture. Cook over medium heat 15-20 minutes or until the onions have softened and darkened, stirring two to three times while they cook. (If you are using fresh asparagus, cook it along with the onions until they are fork tender).
- If making fresh pasta, roll out the dough and let it dry for ten minutes or so before cutting the noodles. When the pasta is still still pliable but not wet or tacky to the touch, cut your noodles. Leave them to rest while you assemble the remaining ingredients.
- Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add a tablespoon of olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the cooking water.
- When the onions are darkened, add the chopped asparagus and ham to the pan and heat through for about 5 minutes. When all the ingredients in the pan are heated, reduce the heat to low.
- Boil the pasta (2-3 minutes for fresh pasta, or follow directions on the box for packaged pasta). Drain in a colander set over a bowl. Reserve 1/2 C of cooking liquid.
- Transfer the cooked pasta to a serving bowl and toss with 1 Tbsp butter and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Add ham mixture and toss well to blend. Use a little of the reserved cooking liquid if needed to loosen up the pasta.
- Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and season with additional salt as desired.
Oh my goodness – this pasta looks wonderful! And asparagus is my husband’s absolute favorite vegetable! I look forward to making this next time we have ham…