Baked Pasta with Peas & Ham

SERVES: 6 as an appetizer or 3–4 as a main course PREP: 15 minutes TOTAL TIME: 25 minutes

Baked Pasta with Peas & Ham

SERVES: 6 as an appetizer or 3–4 as a main course PREP: 15 minutes TOTAL TIME: 25 minutes

Creamy-creamy sauce, strands of ham, and perfectly cooked pasta.

Okay. I consider all my recipes to be my babies, but some have a fully built home in my heart. This is one of those recipes that floods my brain with happy memories. For a few years, early in my relationship with John, we lived in a tiny (truly tiny) hotel-like room above the restaurant Cipriani on Wall Street, in New York. There weren’t a lot of apartments in this neighborhood, so it was always empty at night. I was used to the character of the Lower East Side, and now I was surrounded by shoeshine storefronts and bars packed with finance dudes.

I remember going down to Cipriani after their busy lunchtimes and sitting alone, soaking in the big empty room, always ordering their baked tagliolini. Hoooooooly shit, it’s truly one of the best dishes I have ever eaten. Creamy-creamy sauce, strands of ham, and perfectly cooked pasta that somehow doesn’t get overcooked under the broiler. I’ve simplified the dish a bit here, but I can confidently say IT IS PERFECTION. It’s insanely saucy and decadent as is, but feel free to toss in extra peas or sauté your ham in butter, just like they do at Cipriani. Get ready to marvel at the broiled, hot, bubbling cheesy cream. Ennnnjoy!!

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INGREDIENTS DIRECTIONS

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup light cream, half-and-half, or heavy cream (or a combination)
1 cup whole milk
½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 ½ cups (3 ounces) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for sprinkling
½ pound fresh tagliatelle or tagliolini pasta*
1 cup frozen peas, defrosted
2 ounces very thinly sliced deli ham of your choice