Looking for a comforting and easy mid-week dinner option? Our asparagus, smoked ham and cheese pasta will hit the spot.
We've used tender asparagus, leeks, salty cheddar and smoked ham for a simple dinner that comes together in only 30 minutes.
This dish doesn't require any fancy skills and you serve the creamy sauce at the end once you've plated up - so you don't have to worry about anything splitting or curdling on the stovetop!
We love using in-season British asparagus (which are at their best in May and June) and if you're looking at other ways to use them, or want to know the best way to cook asparagus, then take a look at our how-to guide for fail-safe cooking.
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Yields:
4
Prep Time:
15 mins
Cook Time:
15 mins
Total Time:
30 mins
Cal/Serv:
480
Ingredients
225 g wide-ribbon pasta, such as pappardelle
350 g fresh asparagus or French beans, trimmed
175 g leeks, trimmed and cut into fine shreds
300 ml carton single cream
75 g mature Cheddar cheese, grated
25 g freshly grated Parmesan
125 g thinly sliced cooked smoked ham, roughly chopped
Directions
Step 1
Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water until just tender, then drain.
Step 2
Meanwhile, cook the asparagus or beans in boiling salted water for 7-10min or until just tender. Add the shredded leeks to the pot for the last 30sec, then drain the vegetables well and keep warm.
Step 3
Put the cream into a small pan with half each of the Cheddar and Parmesan. Heat until just beginning to boil, stirring now and then to prevent it from boiling over.
Step 4
Add the hot vegetables to the pasta and toss with the smoked ham and remaining cheese. Season with plenty of freshly ground black pepper (you won't need to add salt as the ham and cheese add a good level of saltinessy).
Step 5
Serve immediately on hot plates and pour the warmed cream mixture over each plate individually.
Tip
For a healthier sauce, use a lower-fat single cream.
The GH Kitchen Team are Good Housekeeping’s resident recipe developers and all-round food obsessives. GH Kitchen Director Sarah Akhurst is our resident hosting pro and loves nothing more than putting on a foodie feast for friends. Our GH Kitchen Manager Linzi Pucino is our very own Italian food expert (originally hailing from the North East of Scotland!) and can be found working her way through midweek recipes that cover all bases, from haggis to ragu! Our Kitchen Editor Nadine Brown loves digging into the stories behind her favourite foods and enjoys applying her eclectic tastes to more modern, flavour-forward recipes - just don't give her too much chilli! Our Junior Food Content Produce Frankie Prichard combines a love of beautiful presentation and flavour-led, seasonal cooking in her recipe development, along with a passion for bringing people together through food. With a wealth of professional kitchen experience between them, they’re dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work every single time
