Jeffersonian Pasta with Ham & Peas

• 16 oz. dry pasta (whichever kind you like, but I prefer fettucini)
• 1/2 pound diced ham or bacon
• 3 shallots sliced
• 8 ounces white sliced mushrooms
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup peas
• 1/3 cup chopped parsley
• 1/2 heavy whipping cream
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup grated Romano cheese

1. Boil pasta and drain according to package directions.
2. Fry up mushrooms in oil until water evaporates and they are browned and almost a little bit crisp.
3. Add garlic, bacon or ham to the pan over medium heat until browned.
4. Add shallots until softened.
5. Stir in wine, and cook until reduced to a sauce.
6. Add peas, herbs, whipping cream and 1/2 of the cheese, stirring until it thickens.
7. Stir in cooked pasta and toss. Serve immediately and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

If you liked this recipe, you should take a peek at America’s First Daughter: A Novel of Patsy Jefferson Randolph and her complicated, sometimes dysfunctional relationship with her father, the third president of the United States.