Parisian Pasta w/ Ham, Gruyere + Caramelized Onions

I was invited to participate in the Frick’s Quality Meats Blogger Recipe Challenge this year and decided to make this delicious Parisian Pasta with Ham, Gruyere and Caramelized Onions.

This is a heavenly Parisian-style baked pasta dish made with a cheesy creamy Mornay sauce (a béchamel made with melted Gruyere and Parmesan cheeses), sweet caramelized onions, and delicious Frick’s Hickory Smoked Sliced Gourmet Ham, all baked into a pot of melty goodness, then topped with crunchy browned croissants and fresh chives and parsley.

Frick’s Quality Meats chooses only the finest handpicked cuts of meat, cured with real cane sugar which are slow-roasted in small batches over American hardwood to lock in their sweet, smoky flavor. They have a great selection of delicious products including Bone-in Half Ham, Sliced Applewood Quarter Ham, Gourmet Sliced Boneless Ham, Shingled (sliced) Ham, Bologna, Sausages, Smoked Meat and Turkey Drums – delivering a full range of delicious flavors that can transform any recipe into an extravagant dish.

First cook your pasta according to package directions (about 1-2 mins less than recommended cooking time, al dente). Drain and toss with a little olive oil to prevent sticking, and set aside.

Next, caramelize your onions by sautéing them in butter until golden,

then add a pinch of salt and pepper and let them cook on low heat for about 30 minutes until caramelized, sweet and golden brown.

Cut the ham into medium size lardons.

Shred the Gruyere and Parmesan cheeses.

Make your mornay sauce by first cooking some flour in butter and add milk, whisking in to make your roux.

Add the Gruyere and Parmesan cheeses, some French grey sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, and whisk together until you get a luscious creamy cheese sauce.

Spray a casserole dish with some cooking spray and start layering the pasta with caramelized onions and ham. Pour the cheese sauce over the casserole and mix together so sauce coats the pasta evenly, top with additional Gruyere and Parmesan cheese. Bake in a 375 degree oven for about 15 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Top with torn croissants, turn the oven up to a high broil and cook for about 2 minutes until the croissants are crunchy and browned (being careful not to burn!)

Top with minced chives and parsley, serve immediately. Pair this luscious baked dish with a light white crisp wine (Sauvignon or Sancerre) and a mixed greens salad with a Champagne-Dijon vinaigrette dressing. Perfect for brunch or a cozy Fall dinner!

Bon Appetit!

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 4-6

Serving Size: 1 cup

This is a heavenly Parisian-style baked pasta dish made with a cheesy creamy mornay sauce, sweet caramelized onions, and delicious Frick's cooked ham, baked into a pot of melty goodness, then topped with crunchy browned croissants and fresh chives and parsley. Perfectly paired with a light white crisp wine (Sauvignon or Sancerre) and a mixed greens salad with a champagne-dijon vinaigrette dressing.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces dried pasta (Trivelle, Rotini, Campanelle, or Cavatappi)
• MORNAY SAUCE:
• 2 tablespoons unsalted premium butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese (or Fontina, Comte, Emmental)
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and smashed
• 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• Pinch of nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon French grey sea salt
• Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• CARAMELIZED ONIONS:
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 large onion, sliced thin
• Pinch of French grey sea salt
• Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• ---
• 1 cup Frick's Cooked Ham, chopped into small lardons
• 1 large croissant, torn
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley and chives, minced

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water for 8 minutes (cook 1-2 minutes less than recommended package directions, al dente), drain, toss with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil and set aside).
3. Make the Mornay Sauce:
4. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk for about 1 minute to make a roux, being careful not to burn or brown.
5. Slowly add the milk, whisking occasionally, until you get a smooth sauce consistency.
6. Add the garlic and simmer for about 5 minutes, remove smashed garlic clove.
7. Stir in both of the cheeses, whisk until melted and you get a thick, creamy cheese sauce. Add more milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, to get a thinner sauce until thickness and consistency is to liking. You can also add more butter and flour (equal parts) to make the sauce thicker. Season with grey sea salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and reduce heat to low.
8. Make the caramelized onions:
9. Melt butter in a small saute pan over medium heat.
10. Add the onions and cook until lightly browned, then turn the heat down to low, add salt and pepper, and slowly cook onions for about 30 minutes, until sweet and caramelized.
11. Make the casserole:
12. Grease a medium casserole dish with oil spray or butter.
13. Add cooked pasta, top with cooked Frick's ham, caramelized onions and Mornay sauce. Stir together until sauce is coating all the pasta.
14. Top with additional shredded Gruyere and Parmesan cheese and bake for 15-17 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
15. Turn oven up to a broil, add the torn croissants on top of the casserole, and broil on high for about 2 minutes until the croissants are browned and crunchy (be careful not to burn!)
16. Remove casserole from the oven and let cool for about 5 minutes on a trivet. Add the fresh chives and parsley, serve immediately.

Notes

I used Gruyere and Parmigaino-Reggiano cheese in this pasta dish but you can also substitute any good melty cheeses such as Comte, Fontina, Emmental or Edam, or White Cheddar. Serve with a mixed greens salad with a Champagne-Dijon vinaigrette dressing and a crisp French white wine like Sauvignon or Sancerre.

For more information on Frick’s Gourmet Ham, check out their website, Facebook, or Instagram

#fricks #smokedmeats #itsfrickingood

Note: This is a sponsored post in which I received product samples from the sponsor (Frick’s Quality Meats) in order to create an original recipe and blog post for the Blogger Challenge. All photos, recipes, text and opinions are my own.

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