Pasta alla Papalina Recipe
This easy-to-make Italian pasta alla papalina recipe features delicious, creamy, cheesy pasta cooked with ham for the ultimate Roman dish.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 peeled small-diced shallot
- 8 ounces ham, cut into short thick julienne slices
- 1 large egg
- 5 large egg yolks
- 1 ½ cups finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- 1 pound fresh or dried fettucine pasta
- coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large stainless steel, non-stick, or carbon steel skillet over low to medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter and heat just until melted.
- Add in the shallots, give them a gentle season of salt, and sauté while occasionally stirring for 4 to 6 minutes.
- Once lightly browned, stir in the ham and sauté for a further 3 to 4 minutes or just until the edges of the ham start to turn light brown. Turn the heat off and set the pan to the side.
- Next, in a medium-sized bowl add in 1 egg, 5 egg yolks, 1 ½ gups of finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, and freshly cracked pepper.
- Using a whisk or fork, mix the ingredients until combined. The mixture will be thick, like a batter. Set it to the side.
- In a large pot of boiling water, season it with salt so that it is salty like the ocean. This will help season the pasta.
- Add in the pasta and cook according to the instructions. If you are using fresh pasta, it will finish cooking in only 2 to 3 minutes.
- Half way through the pasta cooking process take ½ cup of the hot boiling pasta water and slowly add it to the bowl of egg and cheese mixture and whisk it in to temper the eggs.
- Once the pasta is done cooking, drain it and add it directly to the pan with the onions and ham.
- Pour in the egg and cheese sauce. Be sure to use a rubber scraper to get every drop.
- Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper and fold the ingredients together until combined. The sauce will thicken even more while in the pan with the pasta.
- Serve the pasta with optional additional cracked pepper and finely grated cheese.
Notes
Make-Ahead: This is meant to be eaten as soon as it is finished being made.
How to Store: Cover and store the pasta in the fridge for up to 4 days. It will not freeze well, turning mushy upon thawing and reheating.
How to Reheat: Add the desired amount of pasta to a medium-sized saucepot, add 3 to 4 tablespoons of water, and heat over low to medium heat while continually gently stirring with a spoon until hot. Adjust the seasonings and serve.
If you want to use garlic in this recipe, stir it right at the end of cooking the ham until it becomes fragrant, which only takes 30 to 45 seconds.
Tempering is bringing up the temperature of the eggs to cook them so that they do not scramble when added directly to the hot pasta and are safe for eating.
Classically, no herbs are used in this pasta, but you could finish with fresh basil.
If you'd like to do the alternate version with cream and peas, whisk together only 2 egg yolks with 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream and the same amount of cheese and pepper. Temper it the same way. For the peas, add them to the pot of boiling water with the pasta when the pasta has only 20 to 30 seconds left in the cooking process. Proceed with the recipe as usual.
Nutrition
Calories: 855kcalCarbohydrates: 84gProtein: 46gFat: 36gSaturated Fat: 17gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 434mgSodium: 1318mgPotassium: 528mgFiber: 4gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 893IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 524mgIron: 4mg