Ham and Pasta Gratin
Here’s another great recipe using leftover ham. Or if you don’t have any leftovers just stop at the deli and they can cut you a chunk of ham, or you can pick up a ham slice from the meat department. It’s got everything that comfort food is made of; pasta, cheese, and a yummy cream sauce. It comes together quickly, and chances are you may have most of the ingredients already.
Ingredients
1 small onion, small dice
5 Tbsp. unsalted butter
4 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups milk
1 1/4 cups grated parmesan cheese
2 cups cubed ham
1 lb. cooked tubed pasta, such as rigatoni or penne (reserve 1 cup of the cooking water)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tsp. white pepper
1 tsp. salt
Method
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Melt the butter over medium heat in a Dutch oven. Saute the onions until they begin to soften, about 5-7 minutes. While the onions are cooking, heat the milk in a sauce pan over medium heat. After the onions have cooked, add the flour and stir continuously, cooking over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Slowly pour in the heated milk and continue to stir until all the milk is combined into the onion and butter mixture. Add in the parmesan and ham and stir to combine. If you find that the mixture is thick, add in some reserved pasta water. Add in the salt and pepper along with 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese and stir to combine. Add the pasta and give it a good stir. Pour the mixture into a glass baking dish. Top with the remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake for 20 minutes to melt the cheese. Enjoy!
