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Creamy Tortellini Ham

Creamy Tortellini Ham

By Kate

Rich, creamy pasta tossed with browned smoked pork cubes, fresh cheese tortellini, and green peas. Uses a lightly thickened cream and Parmesan sauce with garlic aroma. Salt balances, black pepper adds bite. Simple, quick, and flexible for swaps.
Prep: 7 min
Cook: 18 min
Total: 25 min
Serves: 6 servings
pasta quick meal ham creamy Italian
Introduction
Start with boiling water salted beyond usual. You want pasta water nearly briny—that flavors pasta deep inside, not just surface. Fresh tortellini cooks fast—don’t wander off, check early. Al dente means tender but firm; no mush. Reserve cooking water. It’s your sauce’s secret weapon — pasta starch loosens cream to a velvety nap. Ham cubes get browned for depth — if you use pancetta, even better; renders fat and crisp edges. Butter carries garlic flavor and keeps it from scorching—garlic done right gives gentle spice, aromatic lift. Add cheese slowly so sauce stays creamy, no gritty bits from overheated curdling. Frozen peas add pop and sweetness. Toss last to retain texture. Never boil cream sauce; simmer low-and-slow is your friend. Timing’s flexible as long as cues match: thickened sauce, garlic soft, ham crisp. Finish hot, serve with extra cheese and some pepper flakes for kick. Simple good kitchen sense to get best flavor and texture.

Ingredients

  • 18 ounces fresh cheese tortellini (or gnocchi for twist)
  • 1 3/4 cups diced smoked ham (or cooked pancetta)
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup half-and-half (or whole milk + cream blend)
  • 1 cup grated aged Parmesan cheese (or Pecorino Romano)
  • 1 teaspoon table salt or kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
  • 1 1/2 cups frozen peas
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

    • About the ingredients

    Swapping fresh cheese tortellini with gnocchi or ravioli works well as both hold sauce. If ham isn’t on hand, pancetta or cooked bacon pieces provide smoky richness but adjust salt because cured pork can vary. Butter is crucial here for flavor and to mellow garlic pungency; olive oil will burn garlic faster in this method. Use half-and-half if you want lighter sauce but whole cream boosts richness. Parmesan is salty and nutty; Pecorino Romano is bolder with saltier punch. Garlic amount can vary—minced fine to release flavor quickly, but watch closely to avoid bitterness. Frozen peas bring color and sweet crunch, fresh peas seasonally preferred if available and quick to cook. Pasta water is instrumental in loosening sauce and creating silky finish; don’t discard. Salt to taste but be cautious adding too much in sauce since pork and cheese add saltiness. Adjust pepper based on tolerance for heat.

    Method

  • Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Salt generously enough to make water taste like ocean water. Toss in tortellini. Stir gently so they don’t stick. Cook until just tender but still firm to bite. Check frequently after about 4 minutes—fresh pasta cooks fast. Scoop out 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.
  • Drain tortellini in a colander but do not rinse; starch should cling for sauce adhesion. Set aside.
  • Leave pot on medium heat. Add cubed ham and toss occasionally. Watch for light browning and crisp edges. Removes excess moisture, deepens flavor. When ham starts to brown and edges caramelize, pull out with a slotted spoon onto plate. Don’t let ham burn—it gets bitter fast.
  • Lower heat to medium-low. Add butter to rendered fat in pot. Let melt fully until slightly foamy, not browned.
  • Stir in garlic. Cook gently until fragrant and softened—about 1 1/2 minutes. Watch closely. Garlic burns quickly and turns bitter, so stir fast and don’t let color darken more than pale golden.
  • Pour in half-and-half mixture gradually. Bring just to simmer keeping heat low. Whisk constantly while adding Parmesan cheese slowly so it melts evenly and sauce thickens without graininess.
  • Season with salt and black pepper. Let sauce bubble softly until it thickens to coat the back of a spoon; about 4 to 6 minutes depending on heat. Garlic bits will still float—normal and adds texture.
  • Add reserved pasta water and frozen peas into sauce. Stir for 1 to 2 minutes until peas heat through, sauce loosens slightly but remains creamy.
  • Return ham and drained tortellini to pot. Toss gently but thoroughly to coat pasta well and reheat everything. Turn off heat just before serving to avoid sauce breaking.
  • Serve immediately topped with extra grated Parmesan and a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes if you want a hint of heat.

    • Technique Tips

    Salt water heavily before cooking pasta for maximum flavor infusion—don’t skimp. Stir tortellini gently during boil to separate; over-stirring or rough handling breaks delicate pasta. Reserve pasta water before draining; starch pockets here are a binder. Brown ham with moderate heat to avoid toughness and bitterness; caramelized bits add umami. Melt butter on medium-low to prevent overbrowning; garlic added afterward ensures it softens gently without turning bitter or crisp prematurely. Slowly whisk in cream and cheese over low temperature to avoid grainy or curdled sauce; constant stirring helps cheese incorporation. Low simmer thickens sauce gently—rapid boiling breaks emulsions. Adding reserved pasta water thins sauce slightly, making it cling to pasta more naturally. Frozen peas introduced late preserve texture and color. Toss pasta and ham in sauce off heat or low heat to prevent toughening pasta and splitting sauce. Serve immediately for best texture and flavor. Leftovers: reheat gently with splash of cream or water to restore sauce.

    Chef's Notes

    • 💡 Use gallon pot. Plenty of water. Salt heavily. Can taste like sea. Yep, it matters. It flavors tortellini deeply. Reserve water before draining for sauce.
    • 💡 Brown ham until edges crisp. Not burnt. Watch carefully. Flavor intensifies! Use slotted spoon to lift out. Rendered fat is gold for garlic as next step.
    • 💡 Garlic cooks fast. Add after butter melts. Mild golden color is what you need. No dark bits. Nobody wants burnt garlic. Gritty sauce isn’t an option.
    • 💡 Whisk in cream slowly. Keep heat low — avoid curdling. Constant stirring crucial. Cheese goes in gradually too. Creates silky texture that clings to pasta.
    • 💡 Peas last to keep texture. Don't boil. Just warm through in sauce. Frozen works great here! Fresh? Use those when in season, quick cooking.

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