Leftover Gammon Creamy Pasta Carbonara

Struggling to the end of that Christmas gammon with the horrific possibility of some going to waste can be daunting.  Do not despair!  There are more ways of eating it than ham, egg and chips – delicious though that is!  Although our English interpretation of what a carbonara sauce is leaves a lot to be desired from its Italian roots, we know it means a delicious pasta sauce and this is easy to achieve.
Leftover Gammon Creamy Pasta Carbonara
You Will Need:
Ingredients
Leftover gammon, cut into small, neat dice
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 onion, finely diced
Olive oil
A handful of mushrooms, any variety, finely sliced
Pasta – whatever kind desired
Single or double cream – one small pot
Splash of white wine (optional)
Bread – any sort to mop up all that delicious sauce
Salt – to season pasta water and sauce (if necessary)
Freshly ground black pepper
Handful of whatever fresh herbs you fancy
Grated nutmeg (optional)

Parmesan cheese – to serve (optional)

Equipment:

Large saucepan to boil pasta

Frying panGrater

Sharp knife for vegetable preparation

Method

• Heat olive oil in frying pan and gently fry the onion and garlic gently for a few minutes until soft, but not coloured
• Add the gammon and fry for a further minute
• Add in the mushrooms and a splash of white wine and continue to fry until the wine stops sizzling and has been all but absorbed
• Pour over cream and continue to cook gently until sauce is thickening
• Season and add herbs
• Meanwhile cook the pasta in a large saucepan of salted water according to instructions
• When cooked to your liking, add the pasta to the sauce along with as much of the pasta water as may be needed to get the sauce to a consistency you like
• Serve with a few extra herbs scattered over the top and generous shavings of parmesan

Ridiculously easy and super quick!