Pasta Alfredo with Ham and Asparagus

This has been one of my favorite dinners to serve lately! My sister in law made a similar dish for us a few months ago and since then I've been totally craving it.

You'll need:
1 lb of your favorite dried pasta. Trotolle is my favorite for this dish!
2 cups of diced ham
1 bundle of asparagus
1/2 stick of butter
2 cups of heavy cream
1 cup of freshly grated parmesan
salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Wash the asparagus and cut off the woody ends. Cut the remainder of the stalk into 2" sections.
2. Boil the pasta according to the directions. In the last 2 minutes, toss the asparagus into the pot and allow it to blanche with the pasta. Strain the pasta and asparagus when the pasta is al dente. Give it a quick rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process and set aside.

3. While boiling the pasta, give your diced ham a quick pan fry to give it a caramelized finish.

4. Heat a pan and gently melt the 1/2 stick of butter. Don't heat it enough to separate the butter, just for it to be slightly melted.
5. On medium heat, slowly pour in 2 cups of heavy cream and continually stir until the cream starts to barely bubble. Add the Parmesan cheese and continue to stir as it thickens. Keep control of the heat; if it gets too hot the butter will separate and you'll get a greasy versus creamy sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste.

6. Once the sauce reaches the process consistency, turn off the pan and combine all of your ingredients.

Buon appetito!