EZ Ham ’n’ Pasta

This no-bake dish is pure comfort food. When I made it last night, I thought: “I oughta I take it easy like this more often!” It’s a great way to use leftover ham, too.

EZ Ham ’n’ Pasta:

2 tbsp. (30 mL) olive oil 
2 tbsp. (30 mL) chopped onion
One 10-oz. (284 mL) can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1/4 c. (60 mL) milk
1/2 c. (125 mL) full-fat dairy sour cream
2 tsp. (10 mL) poppy seeds
1/2 tsp. (2.5 mL) celery salt
3 c. (750 mL) cubed, cooked ham
1 medium apple, peeled and cut in paper-thin slices (see Note)
1/3 c. (80 mL) combined red, green, and yellow bell peppers, diced
3/4 c. (180 mL) frozen peas
4 c. (1 L) penne or egg noodles, uncooked
Parmesan cheese, as desired

Array and prepare all ingredients before starting. Bring large pot of salted water to the boil. 

It all starts with boiling water!

Add penne or egg noodles, stirring occasionally and cooking as package directs, about 12 min. or until tender. While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in large skillet. 

Add onion, stirring over medium heat until tender. Reduce temperature to medium-low, stirring in soup, milk, sour cream, poppy seeds, and celery salt until well combined. Add ham, apple, bell peppers, and frozen peas. Heat to serving temperature.

Add thinly cut apple to hot ham sauce.

Drain penne, transferring to pasta bowls. Ladle ham sauce over pasta, serving at once. Dust with Parmesan at the table. Serves 4.

Dust with Parmesan: Buon Appetito!

Note: While a knife will do, a mandolin slicer is the fastest way to cut the apple in this dish into paper-thin widths. 

Portrait of mandolin slicer with anonymous woman.