Swiss Macaroni and Cheese

This (click link) looks great but I really am trying not to put a cup of cream into anything. So I made my own version:

1 pound macaroni boiled with a t olive oil in salted water, and drained
4 T butter
3 T flour
6-8 oz Swiss or Emmenthal, shredded (don't buy already shredded)
2 country ham steaks gently pan fried but not too long
a 10 oz bag frozen peas
Parmesan
4 C milk
bay leaf
nutmeg or cinammon

Heat oven to 350F.

In a large bowl of cold water, rip the two ham steaks into bite sized chunks. Rinse them in the cold water until it runs clear and let the ham soak for 30 minutes (this will make it less crazy salty).

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the flour and stir until no lumps are left. Add the milk and whisk constantly over med-high heat until it becomes thick. Add a dash of nutmeg and pinch of salt. Add a bay leaf and if you like a slice of onion. Let the milk steep with these for about 10 minutes off the heat, whisking every minute or so. Take out the leaf and the onion. Add all but 1.5 cups of the Swiss. Whisk.

Pour this over the macaroni, add the peas. Drain off the ham and add it into the pasta/cream mixture. Put it in an oiled 9 by 13" pan. Top with remaining cheese and a generous sprinkling of Parmesan.

Bake at 350 for half an hour, then at 400 for another half an hour. Should be bubbly and golden. Mmm!

This is acutally a Swiss dish; I'm not just calling it Swiss on account of the cheese.