1 lg. onion, chopped fine
1 lg. carrot, chopped fine
1 stalk celery with leaves, chopped fine
4 tbsp. butter
1/4 c. finely diced ham
3 c. chicken stock
3 c. fresh or frozen peas (not canned)
1 tsp. finely chopped fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp. dried
1/2 c. heavy cream
Salt to taste
1/2 c. pastina pasta
Freshly ground black pepper

In a saucepan, add the onion, carrot, celery and 2 tablespoons of butter. Cover loosely with a piece of wax paper and cook gently until vegetables are limp, about 3 minutes. Stir a few times and make sure the vegetables do not brown.

Transfer the vegetables to a large pan or a casserole with a lid. Add the ham, chicken stock, peas, and thyme and let the soup come to a fast boil. Lower the heat, cover loosely and simmer for 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

Let the soup cool just enough to handle. Remove the ham and put the pea soup through a food mill. Turn, turn, turn, turn, until only the skins of the peas are left in the food mill. Return the soup to the pot in which it cooked. Slowly add the cream and heat just to the boiling point. Keep hot.

Bring 8 cups of water to a rolling boil. Add salt and pasta and cook for 10 or 12 minutes (or follow instructions on package) until the pasta is cooked al dente. Drain well and return the pasta to the pan in which it cooked. Add the butter and mix well, then add the pasta to the soup. Taste, and adjust the seasoning.

NOTE: Before putting the peas through the food mill, you might wish to reserve about 1/4 cup and add to the soup at the end to give it a slight texture.