Pasta Baked With Peas and Ham

Posted by request

• Ready In: 1 hr 10 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 4  ounces prosciutto, cotto or 4  ounces cooked ham
• 1  cup  blanched fresh peas or 1  cup  frozen peas
• 1⁄2 cup  freshly grated pecorino romano cheese
• 3⁄4 cup  freshly grated  grana padano or 3⁄4 cup parmigiano-reggiano cheese
• 2 1⁄2 cups heavy cream
• 1⁄4 teaspoon fine sea salt
•  freshly grated nutmeg
• 1  lb  dried pasta shells (or penne rigate or penne)

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta; preheat oven to 500°.
2. Cut the ham into long 1/2-inch wide strips, then cut crosswise to make 1- to 1 1/2 inch long pieces (you should have about 1 cup).
3. Toss in a large mixing bowl; add in the peas, Pecorino Romano, 1/2 cup of the Grana Padano, cream, and salt; mix together.
4. Add just enough grated nutmeg for a good whiff to reach your nose.
5. Your want to flavor the cream discreetly.
6. Fold it into the mixture and add more salt if necessary.
7. Generously salt the boiling water and drop in the pasta.
8. Cook, stirring often, for 4 minutes.
9. The pasta will be parboiled and too hard to eat; it cooks further in the oven.
10. Drain the macaroni, reserving 1 cup of the water, and transfer the pasta to the mixing bowl.
11. Add 1/2 cup pasta water and toss again; there should be abundant liquid surrounding the pasta; add more water if it looks too dry or too thick.
12. Transfer the pasta and its sauce to individual shallow baking dishes or to 1 or 2 shallow baking dishes.
13. Bake for 8-10 minutes (check halfway through baking time and drizzle with more pasta water if necessary), until bubbly hot with a few browned noodles on top.
14. Serve right away with the remaining Grana Padano passed at the table.