Casarecce Ham and Fontina, a creamy and flavorful first course, ideal for a family lunch or as a main dish for dinner. A recipe that wins everyone over, adults and children alike.
For my casarecce I used an egg-based dough made with a mix of semolina and all-purpose flour: this way the pasta is more elastic and holds up better during cooking compared to the version made with only semolina and water.
Of course, you can make this recipe with store-bought dried casarecce from the supermarket too: following my tips for finishing (mantecatura), the result will still be excellent!
Besides being delicious, it’s an easy and quick recipe that you prepare entirely while the pasta cooks. You won’t need long preparations: by the time you drop the casarecce into boiling water the sauce will already be ready to welcome them—creamy and fragrant!
If you use dried casarecce from the supermarket, you’ll have about 10–12 minutes of cooking time: ideal to cut the Fontina into small cubes and to brown the ham without rushing. If instead you use my fresh casarecce made with a press (which cook in 5–8 minutes), I recommend starting the sauce a couple of minutes before putting the pasta in the water!
Let’s see together how to make the Casarecce Ham and Fontina. Prepare the ingredients and let’s begin!
And if you try it, don’t forget to let me know in the comments on my Facebook page HERE. If you like, give the page a Like: it would make me really happy. See you there.
Gabriella
Other tasty recipes to try:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Budget-friendly
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Cooking time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4 servings
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 13 oz casarecce (about 1.1 lb (approx. 500 g) homemade fresh casarecce)
- 5 oz cooked ham (diced)
- 4 oz Fontina cheese
- 1.5 tbsp butter
- 3/4 cup cooking cream (about 7 fl oz (200 g))
- salt (for the pasta)
- pepper
- 1 sprig parsley
Tools
- 1 Pot
- 1 Frying pan
- 1 Skimmer
- 1 Wooden spoon
Steps
First, put a pot with plenty of water on the heat and bring to a boil. When the water boils, add the pasta (I used homemade fresh casarecce) and cook it for at least 10 minutes (depending on the package instructions).
If you make the casarecce at home, they will take about 6–8 minutes to cook.
Meanwhile, in a nonstick pan, melt the butter, then add the diced ham and sauté over high heat for about 2–3 minutes, until slightly crisp on the edges. Add the pancetta, raise the heat a little, and fry until crispy and golden.
Lower the heat to a minimum and pour in the cream. Let it warm without boiling vigorously. Add the Fontina cut into cubes. Stir with a wooden spoon until the cheese has completely melted into the cream, creating a smooth, velvety sauce.
If the sauce seems too thick, add half a ladle of the pasta cooking water.
Drain the casarecce al dente and transfer them directly into the pan with the sauce, turn the heat to medium and finish the dish by stirring well to combine all the ingredients. The pasta should be completely coated by the cream.
Turn off the heat, add a generous sprinkle of black pepper and chopped fresh parsley, and serve. Here are the Casarecce Ham and Fontina ready. Enjoy your meal!
Until the next recipe
Let me know in the comments if you try the homemade casarecce version or the “last minute” version with dried pasta.
Storage
You can keep the Casarecce Ham and Fontina in the refrigerator for 1–2 days in an airtight container.
Tip for reheating. Because Fontina cream tends to firm up when cold, I recommend not using the microwave at full power. Instead, reheat in a nonstick pan with a small splash of milk or water: this will help the cheese melt again, restoring the original creaminess.
Want a crunchy touch? Put them in the oven for 5–10 minutes with a sprinkle of Parmesan for a truly irresistible baked and gratinated version!
Tips and Suggestions
– Do not oversalt the pasta water! Fontina and ham are already salty on their own.
– Add the parsley only at the end with the heat off, so it keeps its bright green color and fresh aroma, contrasting nicely with the white cream.
– If the Fontina forms a gummy ball, don’t worry! Add a tablespoon of warm milk and whisk vigorously off the heat: it will soften again in no time.
Variations
– If you prefer a vegetarian version, replace the ham with sautéed button mushrooms or thinly sliced artichoke hearts. Fontina pairs wonderfully with both!
– Instead of Fontina, use stracchino or robiola. The result will be a lighter, slightly tangy cream—excellent if you also add some grated lemon zest at the end.
– You can substitute the cooked ham with speck cut into strips, crisped separately in a pan and added only at the end.
How to melt Fontina perfectly
Fontina is a wonderful but “capricious” cheese: if heated too quickly or at too high a temperature, it can separate or become stringy like mozzarella on pizza. Here’s how to obtain a velvety cream:
– Don’t throw the whole chunk into the pan! Cut the Fontina into very small cubes or, even better, grate it with a coarse grater. The smaller the pieces, the faster they will melt at low temperatures.
– Low heat, very low: Fontina hates boiling. Warm the cream over low heat and, as soon as it starts to simmer lightly, turn off the heat (or set it to the absolute minimum) and add the cheese.
– Stir continuously with a wooden spoon or a whisk. The residual heat of the cream will be enough to melt the cubes, turning them into a smooth cream without “stressing” the milk proteins.
– If you see the cream is too thick or elastic, add a ladle of pasta cooking water. The starch in the water acts as a natural emulsifier and will make the sauce silky and glossy—perfect for coating the casarecce.
The Recycling Corner: Zero Waste in the Kitchen
Nothing gets thrown away in the kitchen, and with this recipe there are many opportunities to recycle with taste! Here’s how to transform leftovers into new delights:
– Don’t discard the rind of the Fontina! Clean it by scraping the surface with a knife, cut it into cubes and toss it into the pasta water while it boils or directly into a soup. It will become soft and flavorful.
– Besides using pasta water to finish the casarecce, you can keep a bit to loosen a vegetable purée or to add body to leftover tomato sauce the next day. The starch it contains is a fantastic natural thickener.
– And if the Casarecce are leftover and already sauced? They taste even better the next day! Turn them into a Pasta Frittata: add two beaten eggs, some Parmesan and heat everything in a pan with a drizzle of oil until a crispy crust forms. It’ll be the perfect packed lunch!
If you remake my Casarecce Ham and Fontina, take a photo and tag me: I love seeing your creations and sharing them in my stories. Enjoy your meal!
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