Pasta alla Papalina
Published November 27, 2024. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This easy-to-make Italian pasta alla papalina recipe features delicious, creamy, cheesy pasta cooked with ham for the ultimate Roman dish. You will love how simple this dish is to prepare and cook. It has become a household favorite.
I’m Sicilian, so making and eating pasta is commonplace in my house. If you want to try out some new recipes, you must try my Penne alla Vodka or Pasta al Limone.
Pasta alla Papalina
Pasta alla papalina is a simple Italian dish consisting of pasta tossed in a mixture of lightly caramelized onions, ham, and a cheese-egg mixture. The dish only uses seven ingredients, including salt and pepper, and comes together in under 20 minutes, making it an excellent weeknight meal.
This is the pasta I commonly make following a traditional holiday that serves ham. It’s an excellent way to use up leftover ham and a nice change from classic recipes like ham and bean soup. While this is a lesser-known pasta around the world, I can assure you it is still very popular in Rome.
History of Papalina Pasta
This dish was inspired by Pope Pius the 12th, who was then Cardinal Pacelli during the 1930s. A story has it that he went to a restaurant in Rome and asked the waiter for a new dish that could still be linked to Roman tradition.
The chef, drawing inspiration from the world-famous Carbonara, served up pasta alla Papalina using ham instead of guanciale, Parmigiano instead of pecorino, and onion. Fast-forward, you’ll see some variations that include cream and peas, but those are not traditional ingredients in the dish.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Pork — This recipe is suitable for any ham. I used some leftovers from the holidays, and it came out perfect. Prosciutto is also great.
- Pasta — Fettucine is the classic pasta used in papalina. However, any thicker pasta, like tagliatelle or pappardelle, works well. In addition, fresh or dried pasta can be used.
- Eggs – Large eggs that are chilled or at room temperature are perfect.
- Cheese — Parmigiano Reggiano is the traditional cheese, but others like Pecorino Romano or Ricotta Salata will also work.
- Fat — The onions are sautéed in butter, but olive oil or any other neutral-flavored oil is good. When using butter, I always use unsalted to control the sodium content.
- Onion — Shallots, yellow, white, red, or sweet onions will work. You could also add some fresh, finely minced garlic if you’d like.
- Seasonings – Only coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper were used.
How to Make Pasta alla Papalina
In a large stainless steel, non-stick, or carbon steel skillet over low to medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter and heat just until melted.
Add the shallots, season them lightly with salt, and sauté while occasionally stirring for 4 to 6 minutes.
Once lightly browned, stir in the ham and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, or just until the edges of the ham start to turn light brown. Turn the heat off and set the pan to the side.
Next, add 1 egg, 5 egg yolks, 1 ½ gups of finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, and freshly cracked pepper in a medium-sized bowl. Using a whisk or fork, mix the ingredients until combined. The mixture will be thick, like a batter. Set it to the side.
Season a large pot of boiling water with salt so that it is salty like the ocean. This will help season the pasta.
Add in the pasta and cook according to the instructions. If you use fresh pasta, it will cook in only 2 to 3 minutes.
Halfway through the pasta cooking process, take ½ cup of the hot, boiling pasta water, slowly add it to the egg and cheese mixture bowl, and whisk it in to temper the eggs.
Once the pasta is done cooking, drain it and add it directly to the pan with the onions and ham.
Pour in the egg and cheese sauce. Be sure to use a rubber scraper to get every drop.
Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper and fold the ingredients together until combined. The sauce will thicken even more while in the pan with the pasta.
Serve the pasta with optional additional cracked pepper and finely grated cheese.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: This is meant to be eaten as soon as it is finished being made.
How to Store: Cover and store the pasta in the fridge for up to 4 days. It will not freeze well, as it will turn mushy upon thawing and reheating.
How to Reheat: Add the desired amount of pasta to a medium-sized saucepot, add 3 to 4 tablespoons of water, and heat over low to medium heat while continually gently stirring with a spoon until hot. Adjust the seasonings and serve.
chef notes + tips
- If you want to use garlic in this recipe, stir it right at the end of cooking the ham and cook it until it becomes fragrant, which only takes 30 to 45 seconds.
- Tempering is bringing up the temperature of the eggs to cook them so that they do not scramble when added directly to the hot pasta and are safe for eating.
- Classically, no herbs are used in this pasta, but you could finish with fresh basil.
- If you’d like to do the alternate version with cream and peas, whisk together only 2 egg yolks with 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream and the same amount of cheese and pepper. Temper it the same way. For the peas, add them to the pot of boiling water with the pasta when the pasta has only 20 to 30 seconds left in the cooking process. Proceed with the recipe as usual.
More Pasta Recipes
Pasta alla Papalina Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 peeled small-diced shallot
- 8 ounces ham, cut into short thick julienne slices
- 1 large egg
- 5 large egg yolks
- 1 ½ cups finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- 1 pound fresh or dried fettucine pasta
- coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large stainless steel, non-stick, or carbon steel skillet over low to medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter and heat just until melted.
- Add in the shallots, give them a gentle season of salt, and sauté while occasionally stirring for 4 to 6 minutes.
- Once lightly browned, stir in the ham and sauté for a further 3 to 4 minutes or just until the edges of the ham start to turn light brown. Turn the heat off and set the pan to the side.
- Next, in a medium-sized bowl add in 1 egg, 5 egg yolks, 1 ½ gups of finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, and freshly cracked pepper.
- Using a whisk or fork, mix the ingredients until combined. The mixture will be thick, like a batter. Set it to the side.
- In a large pot of boiling water, season it with salt so that it is salty like the ocean. This will help season the pasta.
- Add in the pasta and cook according to the instructions. If you are using fresh pasta, it will finish cooking in only 2 to 3 minutes.
- Half way through the pasta cooking process take ½ cup of the hot boiling pasta water and slowly add it to the bowl of egg and cheese mixture and whisk it in to temper the eggs.
- Once the pasta is done cooking, drain it and add it directly to the pan with the onions and ham.
- Pour in the egg and cheese sauce. Be sure to use a rubber scraper to get every drop.
- Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper and fold the ingredients together until combined. The sauce will thicken even more while in the pan with the pasta.
- Serve the pasta with optional additional cracked pepper and finely grated cheese.
Made this last night and both wife and I loved it! Leftovers tonight. Next time I will add a little garlic as we adore garlic. Thank you.
Thanks for giving it a shot!!
Looks delicious. We made your Pasta Al La Norma last week and we all loved it. One day I would love to eat a plate of The Pasta that they put into a huge Cheese bowl and toss it around, Oh My Goodness, it looks so delicious and I want to try it. If I ever got my hands on a Wheel of delicious cheese like that, I’m afraid I would eat nothing but pasta from now on!