The ham and cream tortellini is a very easy, very quick first course that recalls a bit of the ’80s, because tortellini are not only served in broth but also with cream and ham — something many of us ate as children. For this recipe I used ready-made tortellini; you can choose industrial ones as long as they are of excellent quality, or artisanal ones from a local pasta maker, or even better you can make them at home with time and patience. The sauce is based on high-quality cooked ham, cooking cream and, to give more flavor, I added a few sage leaves.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Cooking time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 1 Person
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 4 oz tortellini (fresh, ready-made)
- 2 oz cooked ham (high-quality)
- A few leaves sage
- to taste Grana Padano PDO
- to taste cooking cream
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- to taste fine salt
- to taste black pepper
Tools
- Kitchen scale
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Frying pan
- Pots
- Colander
- Wooden spoon
- Grater
Steps
To prepare the ham and cream tortellini…
First, bring a pot of water to a boil to cook the tortellini. When it boils, add them and cook for the time indicated on the package.
Meanwhile, cut the cooked ham into strips or small pieces, then lightly brown it in a pan with the extra virgin olive oil.
When the tortellini are cooked, drain them, reserving a little cooking water, and add them to the pan with the ham.
Add the cooking cream, the washed and chopped sage leaves, salt, pepper, and grated Grana Padano. Toss everything for a few minutes, adding a little of the reserved cooking water to combine.
Serve the ham and cream tortellini piping hot, adding more cream if desired and a grating of cheese.
Tips
If you want an even richer recipe, you can add fresh or frozen peas (both pre-cooked), mushrooms, or a tablespoon of tomato purée to give the cream some color.
