Name: Ham and provolone mac and cheese with fried egg
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 400 gm dried mafalda; 300 ml pouring cream; 300 gm mascarpone; 150 ml milk; 200 gm provolone piccante, coarsely grated, plus extra for scattering; 100 gm parmesan, finely grated, plus extra for scattering; 4 thick slices leg ham off the bone, torn; Olive oil, for frying; 4 eggs; 200 gm firm ricotta; Coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley and thyme, to serve

Ham and provolone mac and cheese with fried egg

If there were such a thing as breakfast pasta, this would be it.

Serves 4

Prep

20M

Cook

30M

Total

50M

We’ve used mafalda, a ribbon-like pasta with curly edges, but fettuccine also works nicely.

Ingredients

400 gm dried mafalda

300 ml pouring cream

300 gm mascarpone

150 ml milk

200 gm provolone piccante, coarsely grated, plus extra for scattering

100 gm parmesan, finely grated, plus extra for scattering

4 thick slices leg ham off the bone, torn

Olive oil, for frying

4 eggs

200 gm firm ricotta

Coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley and thyme, to serve

Method

Main

1.Preheat oven to 180C. Cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until not quite al dente (7-8 minutes). Drain and return to pan with 2 tbsp pasta cooking water. Stir in cream,mascarpone and milk to combine, then stir in provolone, parmesan and ham, and season generously to taste. Divide among four 500ml shallow ramekins or baking dishes, scatter with extra provolone and parmesan, and bake until bubbling and golden brown (20-25 minutes).

2.Meanwhile, heat a splash of oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat and fry one egg to your liking (2-3 minutes for soft yolks). Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining eggs.

3.To serve, top each dish with a spoonful of ricotta and a fried egg, and scatter with herbs.