Pasta with Peas and Bacon

This dish was inspired by Giada De Laurentiis' Peas and Prosciutto recipe. By adding pasta and ham, I turned this simple side dish into a full-fledged meal that's perfect for spring!

Pasta with Peas and Bacon

4 slices bacon, chopped
3 shallots, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 of a 1-pound bag frozen peas, thawed
1 cup ham, chopped
12 oz. cooked pasta, such as linguine or spaghetti, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta's cooking water
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

Saute the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Remove bacon from pan and drain on paper towels. Remove all but 1-2 tablespoons of bacon grease from pan, and return pan to heat. Add the shallots, garlic, salt, and pepper, and saute over medium-low heat until tender, about 1 minute. Add the peas and ham and saute until heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in the pasta, bacon and reserved cooking water and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the parsley and remove from the heat. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper and serve.

*** Don't have shallots? Substitute a small onion. Also, boost the health factor by using whole wheat pasta.

Quick Start with MSPI Mama: This is one of my Quick Start recipes.