Penne Alla Fiesolana with Peas

Recipe:

Today we will make Penne alla Fiesolana. What an awesome dish.  Pasta is such a glorious food.  It truly is like a perfectly blank canvas from which you can create an infinite variety of delicious dishes.  Penne alla Fiesolana is just one of the many ways you can transform a simple pasta into a mouthwatering dish.  Combining cooked ham, heavy cream, some peas and Parmigiano Reggiano and voilà, you have a simple yet delicious primo prepared in no time at all.  No doubt it will become a family favorite. Let’s get started.

Supplies:

• The Pizza e Cucina Double
• Skillet by Pentole Agnelli

Ingredients:

• Ham – a good sandwich ham or preferably Prosciutto Cotto
• 1/3 of a medium yellow onion minced
• 220-250 grams heavy whipping cream
• 150 grams frozen peas
• 20 grams butter
• Salt to taste
• 450 grams penne pasta (calculate about 70 grams per person if the meal is accompanied by other food, or 100 grams if it is served alone)
• Parsley, for garnish 
• Parmigiano Reggiano for topping 

Directions:

1. Preheat the Pizza e Cucina griddle to 350°F – 176°C.
2. Bring a pot of water to a boil for the pasta.
3. Chop the parsley and set aside.
4. Dice the ham and the onions.
5. Drizzle olive oil into a preheated pan and add the butter.  Sauté the onions until they are translucent.  
6. Add the ham to the onions and allow them to come to a nice simmering dance over medium heat.
7. Pour in the heavy cream with the ham and onions, allowing it to come to a gentle simmer.  Add the peas into the simmering sauce.  
8. Place the pasta into the boiling water that has been salted.  Once “al dente”, remove the penne from the water with a perforated ladle, and place into the sauce. Reserve the cooking water.  Pour a ladle full of cooking water to the pasta.  The starch in the water released from the pasta will allow the cream to thicken up. 
9. While gently stirring allow the pasta and sauce to marry and finish cooking.  
10. Garnish with the chopped parsley and Parmigiano Reggiano.  It is ready to serve! Enjoy! 

Buon Appetito!