5.0 from 177 votes
Creamy Ham and Tomato Penne al Baffo
Creamy ham and tomato penne al baffo is a perfect weeknight pasta recipe. It's so fast and easy to make you can have it on the table in the time it takes to boil the water and cook your pasta! A great recipe for leftover holiday ham #albaffo
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 748 kcal
Course:
Main Course
Cuisine:
Mediterranean , Italian
Ingredients
- 14 oz penne pasta or other pasta tubes
- 7 oz cooked ham cut into small pieces
- 9 oz tomato passata (tomato puree)
- 9 oz heavy cream (Panna da cucina is traditional used)
- 2-3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil.
- 1-2 shallots or a normal onion peeled and sliced
- 1 handful fresh parsley chopped
- salt for pasta and to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Start by bringing a large pot of water to boil for the penne pasta. Add a pinch of salt once it starts to boil.
- In a large pot, gently sauté the sliced shallots in olive oil until they start to become translucent.
- Add the prepared ham pieces to the skillet. Sauté over slightly higher heat until they begin to brown slightly around the edges.
- Stir in the tomato passata to the skillet. Let it simmer gently, allowing the sauce to thicken, approximately 10 minutes. Season with salt according to your taste.
- Pour in the heavy cream and blend it with the tomato sauce. Continue simmering for an additional 4-5 minutes until the sauce turns into a rich, coral color.
- As the sauce simmers, cook the penne pasta in the boiling water. Aim for slightly less than al dente. Before draining, reserve a bit of the pasta cooking water.
- Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce. Pour in half a ladleful of the reserved pasta water. Increase the heat, letting the pasta simmer in the sauce for a couple of minutes, stirring continuously until the sauce coats the pasta well.
- Finally, stir in the chopped parsley. Serve the pasta hot, topped with freshly ground black pepper and an extra sprinkle of parsley.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Some Italians make penne al baffo with more cream than passata. I like equal amounts of the two, but you can adjust quantities to suit your taste. Check out the text above for variations of this dish.
- Cook the pasta to just 'al dente' as it will be further simmered in the baffo sauce. You can then finish cooking the pasta in the sauce until you have your perfect pasta texture, mine is 'al dente'.
Nutrition Information
Calories
748kcal
(37%)
Carbohydrates
83g
(28%)
Protein
25g
(50%)
Fat
35g
(54%)
Saturated Fat
16g
(80%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
3g
Monounsaturated Fat
12g
Cholesterol
107mg
(36%)
Sodium
619mg
(26%)
Potassium
724mg
(21%)
Fiber
5g
(20%)
Sugar
8g
(16%)
Vitamin A
1322IU
(26%)
Vitamin C
20mg
(22%)
Calcium
80mg
(8%)
Iron
3mg
(17%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 748
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 748kcal | 37% |
| Carbohydrates | 83g | 28% |
| Protein | 25g | 50% |
| Fat | 35g | 54% |
| Saturated Fat | 16g | 80% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 3g | 18% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 12g | 60% |
| Cholesterol | 107mg | 36% |
| Sodium | 619mg | 26% |
| Potassium | 724mg | 15% |
| Fiber | 5g | 20% |
| Sugar | 8g | 16% |
| Vitamin A | 1322IU | 26% |
| Vitamin C | 20mg | 22% |
| Calcium | 80mg | 8% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.