Country Ham Carbonara
Description
This twist on carbonara is excellent and easy to make. It's definitely worth making, maybe with leftover ham from Easter or another holiday.
Ingredients
salt
2 T. olive oil
1 small sweet onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 lb. spaghetti
8 - 10 oz. country ham, cut into small dice, recipe follows
2 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 -1 c. heavy cream
4 large eggs
freshly ground black pepper
Baked Ham with Brown Sugar Honey Glaze: (optional)
18 to 20 lb. smoked ham, water added, ham hock removed
16 oz. box light brown sugar
8 oz. jar clover honey
Directions
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Bring a large saucepan of well salted water to a boil.
Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat; add onion; saute, stirring occasionally, until soft and starting to caramelize, about 20 minutes. Add the garlic; cook until softened, 3 - 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, place spaghetti in the boiling water; cook according to the package directions, about 8 minutes.
Add ham to the saucepan of onions and garlic; cook until just warmed through, about 2 minutes.
In a bowl, whisk together the Parmesan cheese, cream, eggs, 1 1/2 t. salt and a little pepper.
Drain pasta; transfer to the saucepan with the onion mixture; toss well; immediately stir in the egg and cheese mixture until well combined.
Serve immediately.
4-6 servings.
Baked Ham with Brown Sugar Honey Glaze: (optional)
Adjust the oven racks to accommodate a large covered roasting pan. Fit the pan with a shallow rack. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Unwrap ham; rinse in cold water. Place ham on the rack in the roasting pan. Cover the pan with the lid.
Bake for half of the estimated cooking time. The total cooking time is about 20 minutes per pound, so it will be 6 hours to 6 hours 40 minutes total.
Halfway through the estimated cooking time, add the sugar and honey to a saucepan; cook over medium heat until smooth and the sugar is dissolved.
Pour the mixture over the ham; continue baking the ham, basting occasionally with the drippings in the roaster. Check for doneness at the end of the estimated cooking time by inserting a meat thermometer at a meaty point (NOT into fat or touching the bone). It should register 160 degrees F.
*The preferred ham for this recipe is Baked Ham with Brown Sugar Honey Glaze, but you can use 8 - 10 oz. of any not-too-salty country ham.