Name: Garganelli: Ham, Peas and Cream (Garganelli con Prosciutto Cotto, Panna e Piselli)
Yield: Serves 4 as a starter or 2 as a main
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 200 g dried garganelli (or 260 g fresh); grated Parmesan, to serve; 25 g butter; 120 g thickly sliced cooked ham, cut into strips the size of the pasta; 200 ml chicken stock (optional); 200 g fresh podded peas; 125 ml double cream; nutmeg

Preparation info

Serves
4
as a starter

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

The Geometry of Pasta

By Caz Hildebrand and Jacob Kenedy

Published 2010

About

Prosciutto cotto, cooked ham, is quite prevalent in northern Italy — even if we do consider it to be a northern European/ American thing. In this recipe, it marries beautifully with sweet summer peas and cream. Any kind of cooked ham will do, but a smoked one is best.

Ingredients

200 g dried garganelli (or 260 g fresh)
200 g

Method

The peas can simply be boiled until tender and drained, in which case you can omit the stock. However, they become sweeter and softer when braised: put the peas and stock in a smallish saucepan, cover with baking paper and a tight lid and cook over a low heat until completely soft – about 15 minutes. Remove the cover, and boil until the remaining stock starts to thicken – it is this sweet liquo