Mary Berry shared her super simple Parma ham and pimento penne pasta, which is fairly quick to whip up. It’s perfect for a lazy evening when your budget doesn’t stretch for a takeaway.
Better still, this ham pasta is bursting with flavours thanks to the herbs added to the meal. Plus, roasted red peppers (e.g., pimento), crème fraîche, spring onions, and seasoning make it taste even more tasty. Here’s how to recreate Mary Berry’s Parma ham and pimento penne pasta in less than half an hour.
Ham pasta
Serves: four
Ingredients
275g penne pasta
Seven slices Parma ham, torn into small pieces
One tbsp olive oil
Four spring onions, finely chopped
150g roasted red peppers in oil (from a jar), drained and chopped
One garlic clove, crushed
200g full-fat crème fraîche
30g packet flat-leaf parsley, leaves roughly chopped
30g packet basil, leaves roughly chopped
30g Parmesan, finely grated
Salt and black pepper
Method
Cook the pasta in a pan of boiling salted water according to the packet instructions. Drain, reserving some of the cooking water.
Meanwhile, place a large frying pan on high heat. Fry the Parma ham for a few minutes, until crispy. Remove and set aside.
Add the oil to the pan, along with the spring onions, peppers and garlic. Fry for two minutes.
Add the crème fraîche and bring to the boil, then add the drained pasta with half of the crispy ham, most of the herbs and season with salt and pepper.
Stir over the heat for a few minutes. Then add the cheese and a splash of the reserved cooking water (but only if the sauce seems too thick).
Sprinkle over the remaining crispy ham and herbs to serve. Enjoy while still hot.