The Quick And Easy Pasta Dish That's Perfect For Busy Weekdays

Busy work days call for simple meals you can make in under an hour. Pasta alla papalina, or "the Pope's pasta," is delicious, filling, and comes together in 30 minutes. Although this pasta is traditionally made with fettuccine, frozen peas, cured ham, butter, and cheese, use leftovers that are taking up space in your fridge or freezer — just like a chef. 

For example, dice up three or four slices of thickly cut honey-baked Easter ham. Put them in a sauté pan with butter and garlic, and let the ham crisp up slightly. Next, dump in the half-full bag of peas that have been shoved to the back of the freezer for who knows how long. They'll need a few minutes to warm up before adding a splash of cream. Grate the remaining block of parmesan cheese safely tucked away in the deli drawer. For the pasta, use whatever you have on hand: macaroni, rigatoni, bow tie, or spaghetti. Give everything a quick toss, and before you know it, you'll have dinner on the table.

If you don't have every ingredient, you have two choices: skip it entirely, or find an adequate substitute. Bacon or pancetta work well in place of leftover ham. They still provide a salty, smoky flavor and honestly, who doesn't love a little bacon in their pasta? If peas are nowhere to be found, swap them for another green veggie like asparagus or broccoli. Be sure that you select a vegetable that will hold its shape and texture, rather than turn mushy (talking about you, zucchini).

If you're out of parmesan cheese (or Parmigiano Reggiano), try pecorino romano or another hard cheese instead. You can easily replace cream with 2% milk, whole milk, lactose-free milk, or plant-based milk. Cashew milk adds a luscious, creamy, slightly nutty flair without overpowering the other ingredients. For a final touch, pour in a ¼ cup of dry white wine to add depth and complexity to the sauce. Top your pasta with a fresh squeeze of lemon and garnish with Italian parsley sprigs. We guarantee you'll want to make this dish again and again.