Pasta Primavera with Crispy Parma Ham & Chive Gremolata

Tue, 14 May 2024

Serves 4

• 300 g pasta

• 1 tbsp oil

• 1 tbsp butter

• 4 large garlic cloves

• 2 shallots

• 200 ml cream

• 50mls white wine

• ½ stock pot ( chicken or vegetable )

• 150 g soft Irish goat cheese or mini mozzarella balls

• 200g parma ham / smoked salmon / smoked trout

• 1 small courgette ( yellow or green )

• 2 bunches baby asparagus

• 150g tender stem broccoli

• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

• 35 g freshly grated parmesan

 

Chive Gremolata

12g chives

2 medium cloves garlic

Grated zest of 1/2 lemon ( organic / unsprayed )

 

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 180? fan.

• Peel and finely dice the shallots and garlic. Heat the oil & butter in a large pan and sauté over a low-medium heat for 10-12 minutes.

• Cook your vegetables in one of two ways, depending on your preference. Blanch & refresh in boiling water and ice cold water or griddle on a BBQ or griddle pan. Cook the asparagus, and tender stem brocolli in this way. I highly recommend frying the courgette. Set aside until needed.

• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente, 8-10 minutes.

• Remove the parma ham from the packaging and place on an oven tray. Place under the grill until it is cooked and crispy. When cooked to your liking, tear into strips.

• Add the goat’s cheese and cream to the cooked onion and garlic, stir through for a couple of minutes until you reach a bubbly creamy sauce. Add in a few spoons of the pasta water and allow it to create a sauce. Pop in half the stock cube/pot. Then toss in the vegetables. Season lightly to begin sea salt and black pepper. Drain the pasta, reserving some water, and combine pasta into the sauce, adding a little pasta water to loosen it up if needed. Garnish with freshly grated parmesan, extra sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

• Sprinkle the crispy parma ham on top.

• Chive Gremolata: Finely dice the chive, finely mash the garlic, finely zest the lemon. Combine. Sprinkle over the pasta when cooked.

• Serve and enjoy