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Pasta with Creamy Broccoli Sauce

Source of Recipe

From "The New Southern Garden Cookbook" by Sheri Castle


Recipe Introduction

"This warm, creamy, comforting dish is hearty enough to be a satisfying meal. You can use leftover baked ham or a thick slab of deli ham. Any shape of short pasta will do, even macaroni. The mustard adds great flavor and helps thicken the sauce, but be sure to use Dijon, not yellow ballpark mustard. Not only is that flavor wrong, but the alarming neon color would outshine a school bus."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 2 cups diced baked ham (about 12 ounces)
â—¦ 1 cup heavy cream or plain Greek yogurt
â—¦ 1 cup chicken stock
â—¦ ¼ cup grainy Dijon mustard
â—¦ 1 pound penne pasta
â—¦ 3 cups small broccoli florets
â—¦ 2 large roasted red bell peppers cut into bite-sized strips (about 1 cup)
â—¦ Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
â—¦ Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving


Recipe

Cook the ham in a very large skillet or large saucepan over medium-high heat until lightly browned and sizzling, about 3 minutes. Add the cream, stock, and mustard. Stir up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet and cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Keep warm over low heat, stirring occasionally.

Cook the pasta according to package directions.

When the pasta is 5 minutes short of the recommended cooking time, add the broccoli to the pot and continue cooking until both are done. Drain well and pour into the cream mixture. Add the roasted peppers and mix gently. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately, topped with a sprinkling of cheese.

Makes 4 to 6 servings