Tortellini Panna, Piselli e Prosciutto is a classic Italian pasta dish, a bit old-fashioned yet still delicious. The silkiness of the cream, the sweetness of the peas and the savouriness of the ham create a truly remarkable mix of flavours and aromas. We only added a personal variation, some chopped mint leaves for a touch of refreshment.
Serves 4, Preparation 15 mins, Cooking 25 mins
- 400 g Tortellini
- 120 g fresh or frozen peas
- A thick slice of cooked ham to dice or 150 g packet diced cooked ham
- 300 ml double cream
- 1 white or red onion, to slice
- 3 tablespoons of EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- a tablespoon of grated Parmigiano cheese
- Optional, 3 to 4 chopped mint leaves
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Method
Bring to boil a pot of salted water, blanch fresh peas about 10 mins, otherwise just defrost the pre-packed frozen ones which you’ll add directly in the pan.
Drain peas, put them in a bowl. Do not throw away cooking water as you’ll use it to cook Tortellini.
Gently brown the sliced onion in a non-stick pan with 3 tbsp of EVOO.
Add cubed ham and sautéeing it for 2 mins.
Add blanched peas, seasoning to taste, add minced mint leaves, cook few mins.
Dilute a bit the double cream with a drop of cooking water, add a tbsp of grated Parmigiano cheese, stir, then add it into the pan with peas and ham, stir over a low heat and mix everything.
Boil Tortellini, ready as soon as they rise to the surface: fresh ones will be particularly quick, packaged ones will take a few minutes longer. Drain and add to the pan with the sauce, add some of the cooking water, stir delicately and serve.
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