Gavin is on a ham kick, thus the normally non-existent-in-our-fridge ingredient happened to be available. We still don't tempt ourselves with delicious, freshly-grated parmigiano-reggiano, so nada on that front. That was a tough habit to break, believe me. A culinary heartbreaker. But we can't afford the fat or salt, even in moderation, 'cause we simply eat too much pasta and there's no such thing as cheese-moderation. You know. :-) Soooo, right there we've cut a few calories, eh? I digress. This'll do a pound of short macaroni; but you might need a tad more liquid for linguine or spaghetti, as they tend to absorb more…
Get your water a-boilin' while you sauté chopped ham in a few tablespoons of your best EVOO. Remove ham when satisfied and add chopped scallions, chopped fresh tomato and minced garlic to oil to cook through…
Pop that pasta into the boiling water and when nearly cooked, save about 1 ½ cups of liquid and add to oil 'n' scallion mixture. Bring to a simmer and add drained al dente pasta. Remember, it's going to cook more and you don't want smush. Stir for a minute or two and remove from stove…
You will have already beaten together 2 egg yolks with 2 wedges of Laughing Cow Light. Add slowly to pasta, stirring constantly. Return to heat and cook while stirring for another few minutes, till everything is coated and creamy…
Stir in reserved ham. Add parsley and freshly ground pepper. Serve with a side salad… and remember to play with this recipe. Really, anything goes.
BUON APPETITO!
