Pasta Bake with Ham and Peas Recipe
Pasta bake with ham and peas is a typical “something from nothing” Polish weekday lunch, perfect when you’ve got leftover cold cuts in the fridge and an open packet of pasta. It’s a bit like a Polish answer to Italian pasta al forno, but with sweet peas and a very cheesy top. Kids usually love it, because every bite has pasta, cheese and mild ham.
This bake is the essence of Polish home cooking: it uses fridge leftovers and turns them into a hearty, comforting meal with a crispy, cheesy crust. The sweetness of the peas balances the salty ham and cheese, and the creamy egg sauce coats the pasta so that the whole thing resembles a slightly lighter version of oven-baked mac and cheese. It’s the kind of dish that disappears from the dish before it has time to cool down, especially if there are children in the house.
Chef's tips
Be sure to cook the pasta for less time than the package suggests – after baking it should be pleasantly firm, not overcooked; shapes like penne, fusilli or other short pasta work best. Make sure the egg-and-cream mixture is well beaten and coats the pasta evenly, otherwise you may end up with dry “pockets” inside. If you’re using very salty ham or cheese, salt the sauce carefully – it’s better to taste the mixture before combining everything than to try to rescue an overly salty dish later.
How to serve
Serve it with a simple carrot and apple slaw or a bowl of salad with yogurt dressing to freshen up the creamy character of the bake. Homemade fruit compote is a great drink to go with it, and for adults a light white wine or pale beer works well. It’s an ideal Monday lunch after the weekend, when there are various odds and ends of cold cuts and cheeses in the fridge – you can easily throw them into the dish.
Ingredients
- pasta fusilli, penne or farfalle - 300 g
- ham cooked, in a piece or slices - 200 g
- green peas frozen or from a can (drained) - 200 g
- yellow cheese grated - 150 g
- 18% cream for the sauce - 200 g
- milk - 100 ml
- egg size M - 2 pieces
- onion small - 1 piece
- rapeseed oil for frying the onion - 1 tablespoon
- salt for the pasta and the sauce - 1.5 teaspoons
- black pepper - 0.5 teaspoons
- nutmeg optional - 0.25 teaspoons
- butter for greasing the dish - 5 g
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (top and bottom heat). Lightly grease an ovenproof dish with butter.
- Cook the pasta in plenty of salted water (1 teaspoon of salt) for 2 minutes less than indicated on the package so it doesn’t fall apart in the oven. Drain and set aside.
- Peel the onion and dice it finely. Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat, add the onion and fry for 3–4 minutes, until it softens and becomes slightly translucent.
- Cut the ham into strips or small cubes. Add to the onion in the pan and fry for 2–3 minutes, just until it warms through and becomes fragrant.
- If using frozen peas, pour hot kettle water over them in a sieve and drain. Drain canned peas thoroughly.
- In a large bowl, mix the cream, milk and eggs. Add 0.5 teaspoon of salt, pepper, nutmeg and half of the grated cheese. Beat well with a fork or whisk until the mixture is smooth.
- Add the cooked pasta, fried ham with onion and peas to the bowl with the sauce. Gently mix so that the sauce coats all the ingredients.
- Transfer everything to the ovenproof dish and smooth the top with a spoon. Sprinkle with the remaining grated cheese.
- Place the bake in the preheated oven and bake for 20–25 minutes, until the cheese melts and is lightly golden and the egg-and-cream mixture is set (the centre should not be liquid when you gently shake the dish).
- After removing from the oven, leave the bake to rest for 5–10 minutes so it firms up slightly and is easier to slice.
Storage
Store leftovers in the fridge, tightly covered, for up to 2 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave until hot throughout; if needed, cover with foil so the cheese doesn’t burn.
