Parma ham and fennel pasta bake recipe
A speedy and satisfying pasta bake with Parma ham and fennel. It's a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients
For the bake- 1 pinch salt and pepper
- 80 g unsalted butter
- 2 fennel (approx 700g/1.5lb), trimmed and diced
- 2 tsp fennel seeds
- 45 g plain flour
- 100 ml dry white wine
- 450 ml whole milk
- 250 g dry egg tagliatelle, lightly broken
- 80 g Parma ham, thinly sliced
- 40 g Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated
- 1 pinch salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- 1 handful fennel fronds, finely chopped
Details
- Cuisine: Italian
- Recipe Type: Pasta
- Difficulty: Easy
- Preparation Time: 20 mins
- Cooking Time: 45 mins
- Serves: 4
Step-by-step
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/392°F/gas mark 6.
- Melt 35g/1.2oz of butter in a pan. Add 4 tbsp of water, the diced fennel, the fennel seeds, salt and pepper. Braise with the lid on for approximately 10 minutes until tender.
- Meanwhile, make the white sauce by melting 45g/1.5oz of butter and adding the flour. Mix together to form a roux and cook on a low heat for 3 minutes, stirring continuously.
- Add the wine and work into the roux, ensuring it stays smooth.
- Add the milk in five separate stages, each time stirring into the roux and ensuring there are no lumps before adding more.
- Once all the milk is added, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add the fennel and continue cooking over a low heat.
- Cook the pasta in salted water for half the time recommended on the packet. Drain, reserving a mug of the pasta water. Add the pasta to the white sauce and fennel mix.
- Fold the sliced Parma ham into the mix.
- Add approximately 160ml/5.4floz of pasta water to loosen.
- Transfer to the baking dish and sprinkle with Parmigiano Reggiano.
- Bake for approximately 15 minutes until it is golden brown on top. Garnish with the chopped fennel fronds.
This recipe is courtesy of Consorzio del Prosciutto di Parma. Photography by Steve Lee.
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