My zio Camillo taught me this delicious pasta recipe. When we lived in Milano and went home to Lugano for the week ends, he would often prepare this dish.He was a most fantastic, refined cook and taught me so much! Both Michele and our daughter Miranda loved ‘puchera’. Miranda used to say it was her very favourite pasta as it had a lot of cream! She was a cream addict!
I like to use ‘orechiette’ pasta as they trap the sauce and peas in their little hollows.
• for 4 people
• 500 gr of the dry pasta of your choice
• 300 gr shelled fresh peas
• 300 gr prosciutto
• 4 egg yolks
• 150 ml full cream
• 200 gr grated parmiggiano
• half a Spanish onion finely sliced
• 1 sliced chilli ( optional)
• salt and pepper
• in a little butter and oil cook the onion until transparent
• add the peas
• about 1 cup of chicken stock
• gently cook until just tender
• slice the prosciutto
• fry it in a little butter and oil until crisp
• add some chopped Italian parsley and if using the chilli
• in a bowl beat the egg yolks, cream and half the parmiggiano together
• cook the pasta until ‘al dente’
• drain
• mix the egg mixture through the pasta
• then mix the peas and prosciutto through the pasta
• add pepper and serve with the remaining parmiggiano on the side
In your memory, caro zio Camillo!