Pasta with Ham and Peas wit a Lemon Cream Sauce - Pasta al Limone
Pasta with Lemon Creme Sauce, ( Pappardelle al Limone ) is made even more delicious by adding slices of ham and peas. A beautiful spring pasta dish that's so special in flavor that you'll want to make it over and over. Perfect for entertaining, pappardelle noodles are drenched in a lemon cream sauce that will have you savoring every single creamy bite.
Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and saute until garlic is fragrant Add the crushed chili and stir.
Add cream or half and half, and lemon zest. Gently bring to a simmer. Simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes.
In the meantime, cut the ham into matchsticks or cubes. Add to the cream sauce as soon as you're finished cutting.
Cook pasta in 6-8 quarts of boiling salted water until al dente (about 8-10 minutes). Drain, and reserve 1/2 cup cooking liquid.
When the pasta is cooked and the sauce is done simmering, add the peas and the pasta to the lemon cream sauce and toss well. Add 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water and toss again. Add the grated Parmesan cheese a little at a time, stirring on low heat until cheese is melted and sauce is creamy.
Serve immediately with a slice of lemon to squeeze on top.