Pasta with Peas Two Ways, and Piggery Ham

We were at the Farmers' Market yesterday and picked up some "ham ends" from the Piggery. I was hoping to make an Epicurious-based recipe for pasta with prosciutto and asparagus, but instead wound up doing something totally different. According to our dinner guests and P., my improvisation was successful, and the dish was (here I quote our guest), "excellent, and absolutely made by the ham." We agree.

Here's the simple recipe:

Put on the pasta to boil in lots of salted water - I used 1 lb. of medium shells - and then fry a handful or two of finely-chopped ham ends (I imagine this would work brilliantly with Piggery bacon too) in their own fat, with a tablespoon or two of olive oil, diced garlic scallions (6 small, white parts only) and shallot (1 medium). Add a cup total of chicken broth mixed with white wine (I used about half and half). Boil the ham & wine mixture until almost all the liquid is absorbed. At this point the ham can rest in the pan for awhile, if necessary.

Just before serving, add 1-2 cups of snap peas; after a minute or so (just long enough to warm the snaps to a bright green deliciousness) add a bundle of pea shoots along with several spoonfuls of pasta water. Cover briefly to steam the pea shoots gently, then stir them into the sauce; add some pasta water (just a spoon at a time - the glutens in the water will help with getting the right saucey texture, as wet or dry as you like) and sprinkles of salt and pepper to taste. Drain the pasta when al dente and toss with the ham & peas. Top with grated parmigiano.

We recommend this particular pasta very much, either as an appetizer for six or as a light main for four.

Note: we had some ham ends left over, so two days later we chopped them up, browned them in a pan, added some slivered almonds (to toast lightly), served them on top of fresh spinach from Stick & Stone with toasted sourdough (richly buttered) from Fat Boy Bakery and some little chunks of aged gruyère. Fabulous!