Recipes from “Moms on the Go” are starting to come in. Here’s one from our daughter. A “Mom on the Go” with one child and another due to arrive any day now.
Ingredients:
1 pound bowtie pasta
3 tablespoons sweet butter
1 small white onion, diced, about 1/2 cup
1/2 cup frozen or shelled fresh peas
2 tablespoon water
4 ounces cooked ham, cut into thin strips, 1 inch in length
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, warm 1 tablespoon of the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. When the butter starts to bubble, add onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until translucent, stirring often.
3. Add the peas and water to the pan and cook 3 minutes, stirring. Stir in the ham and cook 2 minutes. Add the cream; bring to a low simmer and cook 5 minutes.
4. Drain pasta; place in large serving bowl. Stir remaining 2 tablespoons butter into the cream mixture over low heat until melted. Stir in the cheese. Pour sauce over pasta and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
The Literate Chef 
My wife is a big fan of Carbonara, and not a big fan of peas. I LOVE peas, and may just try this one on her to see if she’ll accept them with her fave. She uses bacon instead of ham, but I like the ham idea, too. Do you suggest something like a Smithfield ham?
Peadar Ban, my daughter says she uses deli ham for this recipe. I would imagine that Smithfield Ham, or pancetta, or even prosciutto would be an improvement over Boar’s Head, no? The bacon or pancetta would need to be cooked before adding it in step 3.
I have made this, and absolutely love it. I get the cubed pieces of ham that come in a vacuum package in local grocer. Not a hard find! Delicious