Chef's Recipe: Spaghetti with Prosciutto Cotto and Leeks

Among Italian salumi, prosciutto cotto is suitable for the preparation of countless recipes thanks to its delicate taste. It can be used with pasta, rice, or pizza, as a filling or to garnish.

Babbo’s Chef Fortunato Nicotra has a simple, delicious and easy recipe using the versatile ingredient that can be prepared at home with year around accessible ingredients. It makes for the perfect dinner dish for any day of the week.

A chef with 35 years of experience, Nicotra was working in two Michelin starred Sicilian restaurants, Villa Marchese and Villa Esperanza, before coming to New York. In the US, he worked as the Executive Chef of Lidia Bastianich’s award-winning Felidia for over two decades. Nicotra has appeared on several television food segments including Lidia’s Kitchen and Lidia’s Italy and Food Network’s Iron Chef. He prepared meals for Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis I during their visits to New York. Along with Lidia Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali, Chef Nicotra co-authored the cookbook Felidia: Recipes from My Flagship Restaurant. 

Enjoy his crowd pleasing pasta dish that highlights two of the best Italian delicacies, Prosciutto Cotto and Grana Padano.

Spaghetti with Prosciutto Cotto, Leeks, Grana Padano and Peperoncino by Chef Fortunato Nicotra

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 pound spaghetti 
Kosher Salt
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup of leeks, cleaned and chopped
1 cup of sliced leeks, cleaned and blanched
¼ teaspoon peperoncino
1 cup freshly grated Grana Padano
1 cup of cubed Prosciutto Cotto 

Method:

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for the pasta. 
In the meantime, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in a large skillet. 
Add the chopped leeks and cook, making sure they do not burn, until softened and pale golden - about 3-4 minutes. 
While the leek sauce is cooking, add the pasta to the boiling water and give it a stir. 
While the pasta is cooking, add 1 cup of the pasta cooking water with a ladle into a blender. 
Add the leek and olive oil sauce to the blender, along with half of the Grana Padano. 
Blend until smooth and then pour back into your large skillet over low heat. 
Meanwhile, add the prosciutto cotto to a small nonstick pan and cook for a few minutes until the ham turns golden brown. 
Add the peperoncino and the blanched leeks and cook for another minute. 
When the pasta is al dente, remove the pasta with the tongs and add to the large skillet and turn up the heat to medium. 
Toss to coat the pasta in the sauce. 
Then add the prosciutto and leek mixture and cook for one additional minute. 
Turn off the fire, add the remaining Grana Padano and stir (If needed, you can add a little more pasta water to make it creamier). 
Remove the pasta with tongs and serve in individual pasta bowls.