This is a tasty version of baked mac and cheese with a crunchy top. We have parties and events going on just about every weekend from the middle of November until the holiday season ends. A big ham is the centerpiece of a few of those get togethers. I am usually more excited about the leftovers then the meal itself. I remove the extra ham and save the bone to make soup or beans. If we have lots of ham left over I will wrap up portions of it tightly in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag to use later instead of living on ham all week long. While my husband would probably be okay with eating ham for a week, I prefer to have some variety in my life! What is your favorite dish to make with leftover ham? Let me know in the comments. This is the casserole dish I used to make this, Le Creuset Stoneware Oval Dish, 1-3/4-Quart, Cerise (Cherry Red)
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Cheesy Ham and Pasta Bake
Ingredients
- 12 ounces gemelli pasta *
- 8 ounces ham diced**
- 2 cups milk
- 6 ounces gruyère cheese grated
- 4 ounces parmesan cheese grated
- 2 eggs
- 3 slices bread
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 onion diced
- 1 clove garlic
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425° and grease a shallow casserole dish large enough to hold all the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil to cook your pasta. When the water is boiling add the pasta and cook for 4 minutes less than the package directions. Drain the pasta and transfer to a large bowl, add 1/4 cup of milk and stir to coat.
- In a smaller bowl beat 1/4 cup of milk with the eggs, then mix in the bread and a little less than half of each cheese.
- In a saucepan melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat, add the onions and garlic and stir for about 2 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour. Whisking constantly, add in 3/4 cup of water and 1 1/2 cups of milk. Bring it to a boil and stir until thickened then remove from the heat. Stir in the cayenne, 1 teaspoon salt, nutmeg and all the remaining cheese. When the cheese is all mixed in add it to the large bowl with the pasta and mix in the ham.
- Transfer the pasta to your casserole dish and top it evenly with the egg/bread mixture from earlier. Bake until it is bubbly about 20-25 minutes. Let is cool for about 5-10 minutes before serving.
This is a really creative way to make Mac & Cheese, looks so delicious! I need to try this combination sometime soon. Thanks for sharing!