Cooked and smoked turkey or even smoked gouda could stand in for the ham; add the latter once the sauce is off the heat. Serve with roasted asparagus, which can be lightly dressed with olive oil and the juice of the orange that was zested for this recipe.
Adapted from “2500 Recipes Everyday to Extraordinary,” by Andrew Schloss with Ken Bookman, makes 4 servings.
Ingredients
8-10 ounces pappardelle pasta, preferably fresh
1 small orange
1 sprig rosemary
1-2 medium cloves garlic
8 ounces smoked ham
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup pine nuts
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat; cook pappardelle according to package directions. If using fresh pasta, cook 3-4 minutes or until the pasta’s color has lightened and the noodles are slightly larger; be careful not to overcook.
Meanwhile, grate the zest from the orange (about 1 1/2 teaspoons) and set aside; reserve the orange for another use (such as an asparagus side dish). Finely chop rosemary leaves (about 1 tablespoon total), mince the garlic (about 2 teaspoons total) and set aside; trim the ham of excess fat and cut the meat into 1/4- to 1/2-inch dice. Set aside.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat until it shimmers.
Add pine nuts and cook for about 4 minutes, stirring often, until they are fragrant and have picked up some golden color. Add garlic, ham, orange zest and rosemary; cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mixture is fragrant and ham has darkened in color. Season with pepper to taste; remove sauce from heat or reduce heat to lowest possible setting if the pasta has not finished cooking.
When pasta is done, drain and transfer to a large bowl; pour sauce over and toss, then add remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and gently toss until well combined.
Divide among individual plates and serve immediately, spooning equal amounts of ham and pine nuts for each serving.
Nutritional information: 545 calories, 22 g protein, 45 g carbohydrates, 31 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 33 mg cholesterol, 822 mg sodium, 2 g dietary fiber
