Penne Pasta alla Valdostana, recipe from the Aosta Valley.
This creamy cheesy pasta alla Valdostana recipe comes from the Aosta Valley in Northern Italy. This region is famous for its cheese, especially Fontina. Most ‘alla Valdostana’ recipes are made with Fontina, which is a super melting cheese used in many dishes including Italian fondue.
When you see a menu item described as ‘alla valdostana’ in Italy, chances are it’s going to include Fontina cheese and very often ham or mushrooms. Fontina has been made in the Aosta Valley since the 12th century and is traditionally produced with unpasteurized cow’s milk from a single milking. This cheese has a high fat content because it’s usually made with milk from cows which are grazing on flower-filled mountain pastures during the summer! But that’s what makes it melt so well.
Italians use Fontina for their fondue, which they call ‘fonduta’. Although Italian fonduta also contains butter and cream, which are not usually added to Swiss fondue. So this pasta alla Valdostana recipe is really pasta in cheese fondue with ham and it is totally divine!
Baked pasta alla Valdostana
Other alla Valdostana dishes.
Apart from pasta, there are many dishes called ‘alla Valdostana’. These include chicken breast, veal scallops, steak, risotto and crespelle (Italian crepes). Recipes with chicken or meat usually also contain ham. A bit like the French cordon bleu! So we could also call this dish pasta cordon bleu!!
Melt the Fontina in butter and cream
Of course, it’s best to use Fontina cheese but if you can’t find it, Gruyère, provolone, Gouda, or Emmental should work well instead. Italian Fontina has a gentle buttery, nutty flavor and is slightly more pungent than Fontina made in the U.S., France, or other regions of Italy. But, wherever it comes from it’s usually a fabulous melting cheese.
A very quick and simple pasta recipe.
This recipe is super simple to make and has only a few ingredients. It can be ready in 30 minutes. While you boil the water and cook the pasta, just melt some butter in a frying pan or skillet and add the cheese and cream. Once the cheese has melted add small pieces of ham! Drain the pasta add it to the sauce. A little pepper and if you like it, nutmeg, and your dish is ready.
Add pieces of ham to the cheese sauce
I sometimes serve it immediately or I bake it with some grated Parmesan on top. Both ways are delicious and baking is a fab way to use up leftovers! I made this recipe with penne but of course most types of short pasta would work well, so you can also use rigatoni, elicoidale, radiatori or farfalle to name a few!
Add the cooked pasta to the sauce.
If you give this pasta alla valdostana recipe a try do let me know how it turns out, either by commenting below or on the Pasta Project Facebook page. And if you feel it’s worth sharing with friends please do.
All your feedback and support is much appreciated!
Buon Appetito!
This recipe was originally published in 2018 but has been updated with new text and photos.
DO YOU LIKE PENNE PASTA? READ MORE ABOUT THIS PASTA AND CHECK OUT THIS RECIPE TOO.
OR TRY OUT THIS OTHER DELISH FONTINA RECIPE FROM THE AOSTA VALLEY!
WHY NOT SAVE THIS RECIPE FOR LATER?
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Penne Pasta alla Valdostana
Ingredients
- 320 g pasta (11oz) I used penne rigate
- 250 g Fontina cheese (9oz)
- 200 g cooked ham (7oz) cut into small pieces
- 30 g butter (1oz) unsalted
- 30 g Parmigiano Reggiano grated
- 200 ml fresh cream (7floz)
- salt for pasta and to taste
- freshly ground black pepper. to taste
Instructions
- Put a pan of water on to boil for the pasta and, as soon as it boils, add salt and bring to the boil again. Cook the pasta a little less than al dente according to the instructions on the packet.
- Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. Slowly melt the butter In a frying pan or skillet and then add the pieces of fontina.
- Add the cream and stir until the cheese melts.
- Cut the ham into thin strips or small cubes
- Add the ham to the pan with the fontina and cream and stir. Add salt and pepper, stir again and then turn off the heat.
- Drain the pasta and add it to the pan where the sauce is prepared. Mix everything together well for a few seconds over a high heat .
- Serve immediately with grated Parmigiano as required or transfer to a buttered oven dish, sprinkle with Parmesan and a few pieces of butter and bake in a preheated oven at 180°c until the top starts to crisp.
Notes
Pin this recipe for later so you have it handy!
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Allen Dodson says
This was marvelous. I was able to find some Fontina cheese in our local market and made sure I kept it for this recipe. Made it tonight– our first really cool evening here in central California–so good!
Donna Nemeth says
Tasty but sauce clumped & did not coat the pasta as expected. What did I do wrong?
Jacqui says
Hi Donna, thanks for your comment. I’m sorry to hear that you had some problems with the sauce. Without knowing which products you used it’s difficult to understand what didn’t work well. What I can think of is either the cheese you used needed more melting or it had started to cool. Not all cheese is created equal and Italian Fontina is different to Fontina in US although they are both considered good melting cheeses. When you added the cooked pasta to the sauce, did you mix it together over a high heat? You may have needed more liquid. Next time you can try adding some of the pasta cooking water to the sauce. It contains starch and helps the sauce stick to the pasta. The type of pasta you use can also make a difference. Some commercial pasta is very smooth and the sauce slips off easily, although with a cheese sauce it shouldn’t really happen. I hope you’ll give this recipe another try. All the best from Verona!
Gail says
Tasty and very easy. Next time I will try baking it as that looks like it may be even better (and my husband will want a few breadcrumbs in addition to the Parmigiano Reggiano on top). Will need to experiment with different Fontinas as well.
Beth says
This dish looks so creamy and cheesy and I enjoyed learning about how Fontina differs from one country to the next.
sapana says
Pasta alla valdostana with Fontina cheese looks so creamy and delicious. It would make a satisfying and filling meal.
Mirlene says
Okay….I had no idea what to make for dinner. Then i saw this post. So I made it for my family. The only bad thing I would have to say is that I did not make enough 🙁 The pasta was cooked well. The flavor is great and I am making it again today. Easy to follow directions.
Ramona says
I had to make this again, it is such a scrumptious recipe! My kids keep on asking for it over and over again and I don’t blame them it’s an absolutely delicious pasta recipe. Thank you so much for sharing! I’m pretty sure it will not be long before I’ll be making this again.
Genevieve from @fittyfoodlicious says
I love a good pasta recipe and fontina cheese is one of my favorites. Thanks for sharing!
Julie @ Running in a Skirt says
YUM!!! I love this combination of pasta, sauce and toppings. YOu always create the best pasta dishes and this one does not dissapoint.
Fred N says
Jacqui, I was just telling my wife about all the creative Pastas you put on display in our community. Because she love, loves pasta! This is a must-make recipe, I’m sure we’ll love it here. Thanks for sharing!
Kushigalu says
Super creamy and so delicious. Comfort food. I can have this any time of the day 🙂
Marta says
This seems like a fancy ham and cheese sandwich, only much, much better! I can’t wait to make this penne alla valdostana for my family.
Stine Mari says
I don’t think I’ve ever tried Fontina cheese, but it looks delicious. That cheesy sauce is calling my name. Perfect comfort food!
Emily says
Pasta paired with cream and parmesan are always my favorite! This is such delicious comfort food, and a favorite at our house!
Gail Montero says
It’s Friday night and it’s usually Italian pizza night for us but now I want this instead! YUM!
Leslie says
This sauce looks like everything dreams are made of. I love that there is ham used in this pasta dish. Looks amazing!
Lesli Schwartz says
I’m totally loving all of that yummy cheese in this penne pasta dish! Since I don’t eat ham I can just leave it out and still be so satisfied!
Taleen | Just As Tasty says
I love discovering new pasta recipes! Can’t wait to make this for my husband this weekend!
Chef Dennis says
I absolutely loved that sauce. Fontina has always been a favorite cheese but I never thought of using it as a pasta sauce!!
melve says
I never saw Fontina in our market but Cheese mixed on any pasta is always our favorite. Thanks for sharing.
admin says
Thank you Melve! Fontina is a fabulous cheese for melting but you can also make this recipe with other good melting cheeses like Gruyère. I agree cheesy pasta is wonderful! Salute! Jacqui
Amanda Wren-Grimwood says
I would love to try Fontina but I’ve never seen it locally in France. For me, any combination of cheese, ham and pasta is going to be a winner – so delicious!
admin says
Grazie Amanada! Fontina (fontine in French) should be available in parts of France because it’s made just across the border! But you can also use Gruyère in this recipe. I’m sure it would be delish too! As you say cheese, ham and pasta, yum! Salute da Verona Jacqui
Julie @ Running in a Skirt says
What a gorgeous, gorgeous pasta recipe! I love that creamy sauce… can’t wait to try it.
admin says
Thanks so much Julie! I’m happy you like this recipe. I’m sure you’ll really enjoy it if you make it! All the best from Verona! Jacqui
Mimi says
Fontina has been one of my favorite nibbling cheeses for a long time. And I love that it melts so beautifully. Your ham is exquisite!
admin says
Thanks so much for your comment Mimi! Yes I’m a big fontina fan too! I love it in fondue as well! Yum! Salute Jacqui