PASTA WITH BROCCOLI & COUNTRY HAM

PASTA WITH BROCCOLI & COUNTRY HAM image

Yield 6-8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

16 oz Broccoli Florets (fresh or frozen - small bite size pieces)
16 oz Pasta (your choice)
10 oz Boneless Country Ham (small bite size pieces)
8 oz Smoked Gouda Cheese (small cubes)
1 cup Parmesan Cheese grated(Reggiano)
3/4 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
6 TBS Olive Oil
4-5 Cloves Garlic (minced)
2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
6 TBS Flat Leaf Parsley (chopped)
salt & pepper

Steps:

Bring 2-3 quarts lightly salted water to boil. Cook Broccoli until tender, but still crisp. Remove broccoli from boiling water and place in ice water bath to stop cooking process. DO NOT THROW AWAY WATER!!! Bring water back to boil and add pasta. Cook till tender. While pasta is cooking, heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add country ham and cook till hot (do not over cook ham it will become hard and salty). Add garlic, broccoli, red pepper flakes. Cook till broccoli is hot. Add salt and pepper to taste (remember country ham is sometimes salty). Remove pasta from boiling water (DO NOT THROW AWAY WATER YET!) and add to skillet and mix together. If mixture is dry, add some of the pasta water to keep moist and to stop sticking, but not watery. Add gouda and heat till melting, then add shredded Mozzarella and mix till melted. Add pasta water if mixture becomes dry after sheese is added. Remove from heat and add parsley and mix. Top with Parmesan cheese and serve.