Hearty and flavorful with a spicy tingle on the tongue. Total comfort food for a cool evening. Chop and prep the vegetables and ham while the pasta gets going, it makes for quick assembly when everything is ready to go.
In a large skillet, heat one tablespoon of the oil over medium high heat. Add the diced ham and cook for 3-5 minutes until slightly browned and fragrant. Transfer the ham to a bowl and set aside.
Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet and add the onions, bell pepper, scallions, jalapeño, garlic, salt and oregano. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until softened and fragrant.
Add the ham back to the skillet and stir to combine. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter to ham mixture and when it's melted, sprinkle on the flour. Stir until the vegetables and ham are coated with flour/butter and it looks a bit pasty or dry.
In a steady stream, add the broth, stirring and scraping the pan constantly. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for one minute until it's thickened. Add the hatch chiles and grated cheese and stir until the cheese is melted.
Stir the cooked pasta and frozen peas into the sauce and toss to coat. Transfer the casserole mixture to a baking dish.
Break apart the bread into small chunks and place them in the bowl of a mini prep food processor. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter and the parsley. Pulse several times to make buttered parsley breadcrumbs. Top the casserole with the breadcrumbs and bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly golden and fragrant.