Equipment
Ingredients
Pasta
- 400 g dry short pasta, dry
- 3000 ml water
- 30 g coarse sea salt
Creamy Tomato Ham Sauce
- 15 ml olive oil
- 15 g unsalted butter
- yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 garlic, minced
- 150 g cooked ham, diced into 1cm cubes
- 400 ml tomato puree
- 100 ml heavy cream, room temperature
- 50 g parmigiano-reggiano, freshly grated
- black pepper, freshly cracked
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 673 kcal
- Protein
- 28 g
- Carbohydrates
- 85 g
- Fat
- 25 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 9 g
- Sodium
- 783 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 11 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 7 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 45 mg
- Potassium
- 1071 mg
- Calcium
- 240 mg
- Iron
- 5.0 mg
- Magnesium
- 147 mg
- Phosphorus
- 621 mg
- Zinc
- 4.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 180 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 17 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.5 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.9 mg
- Vitamin K
- 8 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.06 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.18 mg
- Niacin
- 1.6 mg
- Folate
- 18 mcg
- Water
- 130 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Bring the water to a rolling boil at 100°C/212°F in a large pot. Add the coarse sea salt, then the pasta. Cook according to package instructions until al dente.
While the pasta boils, heat the olive oil and unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the finely diced onion and cook until translucent and softened.
Add the minced garlic and diced ham to the skillet. Cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic is fragrant and the ham edges are slightly caramelized.
Pour the tomato puree into the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the sauce simmer gently, allowing the flavors to meld.
Remove the skillet from direct heat. Stir in the heavy cream and half of the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano until completely smooth. Do not let the sauce boil after adding the cream.
Reserve 100ml of the starchy pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta in a colander. Add the drained pasta directly to the skillet with the creamy tomato sauce. Toss vigorously to coat.
If the sauce is too thick, add the reserved pasta water a splash at a time while tossing until the sauce reaches a silky, clingy consistency. Top with the remaining grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and freshly cracked black pepper. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Reserving starchy pasta water is the secret to a professional-quality emulsion. The starches act as a powerful binder, forcing the fat from the cream and cheese to merge seamlessly with the water in the tomato sauce.
- Always buy a solid block of Parmigiano-Reggiano and grate it yourself just before using. Pre-grated cheeses contain anti-caking agents that can cause your beautiful cream sauce to become unpleasantly gritty.
- For an extra layer of flavor, lightly toast the dry pasta in a dry pan for two minutes before boiling it. This imparts a subtle, nutty depth that pairs perfectly with the caramelized ham.
- Using passata (pureed, strained tomatoes) ensures a perfectly smooth texture that appeals to children. If using crushed canned tomatoes, blend them briefly before adding to the skillet.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. The pasta will absorb sauce as it sits.
Reheating: Reheat gently in a saucepan over low heat, adding a splash of milk or water to reconstitute the creamy sauce.
Troubleshooting
Cream sauce looks grainy, split, or curdled
Cause: The cream was added while the sauce was boiling too vigorously, or the cream was too cold
Fix: Add a splash of hot, starchy pasta water and whisk vigorously off the heat to re-emulsify the sauce
Prevention: Remove the pan from the heat entirely before stirring in room-temperature heavy cream
Dish tastes bland or flat
Cause: Pasta boiling water was not salted adequately
Fix: Stir in an extra pinch of fine salt and a bit more Parmigiano-Reggiano into the final tossed dish
Prevention: Always salt pasta water heavily so the pasta absorbs seasoning from the inside out
Cultural Context
Affectionately known as a variation of Pasta al Baffo in Italian households, this creamy, rosy sauce is a universally beloved staple. It emerged as a clever, practical way to stretch everyday pantry ingredients like tomato passata and leftover breakfast or deli meats into a rich, deeply satisfying family meal that appeals heavily to younger palates while remaining elegant enough for adults.
