Cipriani Baked Tagliolini

* recipe adapted from Cipriani original recipe and photo credit to Cipriani

Ingredients:

Bechamel Sauce (makes 3 cups approx)
50g unsalted butter
50g flour
600ml milk
freshly ground white pepper

Pasta
3 tbsp unsalted butter
120g Prosciutto Cotto (or parma ham), cut into julienne strips
1 Box Cipriani Tagliolini (250g)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese, plus extra to pass at table


How to Make:

Bechamel Sauce:

1. Boil water in pot 1 until simmering.

2. Use pot 2 which is smaller than pot 1 and can be put on top of pot 1 to heat up the butter in low heat. Once butter almost melted, take it away from the heat and whisk in milk.

2. Once the milk and butter and are blended evenly, return pot 2 to medium heat, continue to whisk and stir until smooth and sticky.

3. Once butter and milk mixture turns thicker and sticky, place it on top of the simmering water at pot 1. Continue to whisk and stir, season with salt and pepper, for approx 10 min or until the consistency and thickness of the bechamel sauce meets your requirements. I will suggest keeping an eye on this to ensure it does get too thick Otherwise, difficult to coat the pasta later. If the sauce gets too thick, add more milk...

remove from heat and stand by.

Pasta:

1. Preheat your Grill.

2. Bring a pot of water to boil and add salt. Cook the pasta for 2 min until al dente. Drain water.

3. Melt 1 tbsp of butter in a large skillet (bit enough to hold all pasta) over medium high heat. Add the ham and cook for a min or 2, stirring constantly. 

4. Put the pasta to this skillet, toss it with the ham. Add 1 tbsp of butter, sprinkle with half of the grated parmesan cheese and toss well.

5. I suggest to add half of the bechamel sauce to the pasta and coat them evenly though original recipe did not contain this step.

6. Spread pasta evenly in a shallow oven proof dish. Spoon bechamel sauce on top and sprinkle with remaining grated parmesan cheese Cut remaining 1 tbsp butter into bits and scatter over the top. *** utmost important is put be greedy and put too much pasta. A think layer is best to achieve restaurant's results! ***

7. Grill/Broil as close as possible to heat source until golden and bubbly, about 2-5 mins.

Serve immediately! Enjoy with a glass of your fav champagne or white wine!