Ham and Egg Breakfast Pasta

Breakfast pasta is becoming more popular and this recipe can be made with ham or bacon.  The runny yolk acts as a sauce for the pasta and is so yummy!

So the first time I heard someone talking about a breakfast pasta, I have to admit that I thought they were a little nuts. Pasta is for dinner, not breakfast!  Breakfast should be things like French toast rollups, maybe an egg sandwich or even just a baked avocado with egg!

But the older I get, the more willing I am to throw the "rules" out the window - and besides, who makes the rules?  In America, we have sweet cereals and pastries for breakfast.  But in Germany, they have things like salami sandwiches for breakfast.

So yeah - I am being a rebel (just shows you how boring I actually am!)

Anyway......

The runny yolk acts like a sauce for the pasta. Sometimes we serve two eggs per bowl, which gives you more "sauce" (and is extra yummy)...it just depends how how hungry we are.

This is a great use for leftover ham! Whenever I make ham in the crockpot, I like to freeze the leftovers  in one-cup portions for quick meals like this. Freeze it flat to defrost it even quicker!

Keep in mind that there's a lot of salt in the ham and the Parmesan, so be sure to taste the pasta before adding any additional salt.  .

You can also do this with bacon instead of ham if you like.  We had leftover ham from me making ham in the crockpot, so that is what I used.  Since bacon will release a lot of grease, I would sauté the bacon first, drain the grease and then cook the onion with the bacon and butter.

Since this was breakfast, we only cooked 4-ounces of pasta, which was more than enough when the dish was complete. That said, if you have a larger appetite at breakfast, this recipe is easily adaptable.

Be sure to use a small pan to cook your eggs. A pan that's too big will spread the butter out too much, making it harder to baste the egg.

Ham and Egg Breakfast Pasta

Breakfast pasta is becoming more popular and this recipe can be made with ham or bacon. The runny yolk acts as a sauce for the pasta and is so yummy!

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Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 2

Author: Mindi

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• 4 ounces angel hair pasta
• 1 cup ham coarsely chopped
• ¼ cup onion finely diced
• 2 large eggs
• 4 tablespoons butter
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons Italian parsley finely chopped

Instructions

• Cook the pasta according the to the directions on the package, drain and set aside. Before you drain it, reserve ¼ cup of the cooking water.
• Add 2 tablespoons of the butter and the onion to a large skillet. Sauté over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes or until the onion starts to become translucent.
• Add the ham and sauté until it's slightly crispy around the edges, about 3 to 4 minutes.
• Turn the heat down to low and add the pasta, parsley and reserved pasta water. Stir to combine and cook for about one minute.
• Remove from the heat and stir in some of the Parmesan cheese, saving some for garnish.
• Taste and adjust the salt and pepper to your liking. You can also add some red pepper flakes if you want a little heat.
• Set the pasta aside while you cook the eggs.
• Add the remaining two tablespoons of butter to a small frying pan.
• Slowly melt the butter over medium heat. You don't want the eggs to brown at all, so don't rush this process.
• When the butter is completely melted, carefully crack each egg into a dish and then into the pan.
• Use a spoon to baste the white of the egg with the butter as it cooks. When the white is completely cooked, spoon the butter over the yolk two times. This will cook the top of the egg without changing the color.
• Remove the pan from the heat and sprinkle the eggs with a pinch pepper, if desired.
• Top to serve, add the pasta to a bowl, top with and egg and garnish with additional parsley and Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Ham and Egg Breakfast Pasta