Penne al Baffo (Ham Pasta with Cream Sauce)

Penne al baffo is a deliciously decadent ham pasta with cream sauce that can be on your table in just 20 minutes. This super creamy ham pasta is also the perfect recipe for leftover ham.

Penne al baffo is an incredibly easy pasta dish made with a creamy tomato sauce and shredded prosciutto cotto.

Even though it only takes 20 minutes to make, the pasta is so decadently good that Italians named it after "leccarsi i baffi." This more or less means that the pasta is so good you're going to be "licking your moustache".

And that's very true, indeed. You only need seven ingredients to make this pasta with cream sauce that will rock your world.

Ingredients and substitutions

Ham — Prosciutto cotto is perfect for making penne al baffo, but this is also an excellent recipe for using up all that leftover holiday ham. If you've been looking for leftover ham recipes, it truly doesn't get any better than this.

Some versions of penne al bafffo are made with prosciutto crudo, speck, or pancetta, so you can use that instead of ham.

Penne — This recipe is most often made with penne, but you can definitely use any other type of short pasta you want.

Shallot — If you're looking at various penne al baffo recipes, you'll notice that some call for onion, some for shallot, and some skip the onion altogether.

I found that I like shallot in this recipe best because it's milder than onion.

Tomato paste — You only need a tablespoon of tomato paste to give the sauce that appealing coral colour.

However, if you want your pasta sauce to have even more colour, you can use two tablespoons of tomato paste instead.

Extra virgin olive oil — The quality of the olive oil you use in pasta recipes such as this really makes a difference, so try to use the best you can.

Double cream — This is not the time to count calories. You want your penne al baffo to be extra creamy, so use double (heavy) cream and don't substitute with single cream (half and half) because the sauce won't be the same.

Parsley — Fresh parsley is optional, but I like to sprinkle a tablespoon over the pasta and a bit extra when serving for a touch of freshness and colour.

How do you make penne al baffo?

• Bring a large pot of water to boil, salt it generously and cook the pasta al dente according to the instructions on the package.
• Meanwhile, make the sauce. Heat the olive oil in a large pan and fry the shallot over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until it softens.
• Add the shredded prosciutto cotto and let it brown for 1-2 minutes.

• Next, add the cream, stir to combine, and then add the tomato paste. Stir to combine, lower the heat and cook for 7-8 minutes until the sauce thickens.
• Transfer the cooked pasta to the pan, toss it well, then add the chopped parsley. Stir to combine, season to taste, and serve immediately.

Recipe notes and tips

• The sauce for this pasta is supposed to be creamy and thick, but if it looks too thick, you can add a dash of pasta water.
• Make sure you don't overcook the pasta, as it will continue to cook in the sauce. It's always a good idea to cook it one minute less than the recommended time on the package.
• You can sprinkle some freshly grated parmesan on the pasta right before serving.
• This pasta is best served immediately, and the sauce won't be the same when reheated.

If you liked this penne al baffo recipe, you might also like some of my other Italian recipes:

• Creamy Vegetarian Tortellini Soup
• Easy Italian Meatball Soup
• Risotto alla Zucca (Butternut Squash Risotto)
• Prawn Chilli Pasta
• Pasta alla Cenere (Gorgonzola and Black Olive Pasta