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Home » Recipes » Baked Pasta Recipes

Published: Nov 7, 2021 · Modified: Dec 30, 2022 by Jacqui

Tagliolini au gratin with ham and cream.


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Cipriani’s Baked Tagliolini (simple version)

Based on a dish from Cipriani’s Harry’s bar in Venice, this tagliolini au gratin recipe is a real gem. All you need is pasta, eggs, ham, grated Parmigiano and cream and 30 minutes 0f your time to have this family favourite on the table. Also a great way to use up leftover holiday ham.

tagliolini au gratin with ham and cream

Gratin di tagliolini panna e prosciutto.

I’m always on the lookout for easy peasy recipes that can be thrown together at a moment’s notice but are still very tasty and will be loved by everyone! In the world of Italian pasta, there are many! Interestingly, most of these don’t find their way on to restaurant menus or celebrity cook shows.

Cipriani's tagliolini au gratin with ham

Of those that do, pasta cacio e pepe is one that comes to mind, aglio, olio  e peperoncino is another. The latter is my hubby’s go-to recipe when we’ve got a houseful of unexpected hungry guests!  This tagliolini au gratin has just been added to MY go-to list for moments when you need something quick and easy to make!

ingredients for tagliolini au gratin with ham
Step 1 Gather your ingredients

In my opinion, this recipe is an Italian gem. All it takes is some tagliolini or tagliatelle pasta, eggs, cooked ham, grated Parmigiano and cream. There is another version of this recipe that includes béchamel and requires cooking the ham for a couple of minutes in butter; a little more work but definitely worth trying out too.

chopped ham in white bowl, egg yolks in white bowl, grated cheese in white bowl and chopped parsley
Step 2 Prepare the ingredients

Cipriani’s tagliolini au gratin.

That recipe is said to have been created at the very famous Cipriani’s Harry’s bar in Venice, Veneto back in the 60’s and is still served in Cipriani restaurants around the world. It was, apparently, one of the favourites of opera singer Maria Callas.

beaten egg yolks and cream in white bowl
chopped ham in white bowl with beaten egg yolks and cream
Step 3. Beat the egg yolks with the cream. Then add the ham

In this much simpler version of tagliolini au gratin with ham, the only cooking required is boiling the pasta and baking the dish in the oven for about 15 minutes.  Can’t get much easier than that!

cooked spaghetti in white bowl with pieces of butter
grated cheese added to cooked spaghetti in white bowl
Step 4. Cook the pasta al dente. Drain and put it into a bowl. Add butter and mix. Then add grated parmigiano and mix again.

What is tagliolini pasta?

Tagliolini, as the name suggests, is related to tagliatelle. However, although both are egg pasta ribbons, they are different. Tagliolini is a lot finer. In fact, it is somewhere between angel hair pasta and tagliatelle. It’s a regional pasta in Liguria, Emilia-Romagna, Piemonte and Molise. But, also very popular in other regions. You can read more about this pasta in my tagliolini post.

fresh tagliolini ribbons

Here in Italy, we can buy fresh ready-made tagliolini as well as dried tagliolini nests. I used the former for this recipe and the latter for my recently published sweet pasta recipe pastiera Napoletana.

Making this tagliolini au gratin

This recipe requires very little prep. First just cut the ham into small cubes or juliennes. Then beat the egg yolks with the cream. Next add the ham to the eggs and cream with some salt and freshly ground black pepper.

ham and cream sauce added to cooked pasta
Step 5 Add the ham and cream mixture to the pasta and mix everything really well together.

After cooking the pasta al dente, drain it and put in a bowl. Mix a little butter and some Parmigiano into it. Then pour in the ham, cream and eggs. Mix everything together well and then put the pasta and sauce into an oven dish. You can also put the buttered pasta into the oven dish first and then pour the sauce over it.

tagliolini with ham and cream sauce in rectangular oven dish.
Step 6 Pour the pasta and sauce into a buttered oven dish.

Sprinkle with more cheese, add a few bits of butter and your tagliolini au gratin is ready to bake! The result? Delicious! I’m sure, once you have tried it, this recipe will be added to your quick and easy to make go-to list too! Tip for mums..kids love this dish!

tagliolini au gratin ready for the oven
Step 7 Cover the top of the pasta with grated parmigiano and add some small pieces of butter. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the top gets a bit crispy and golden.

If you make this tagliolini au gratin with ham and cream recipe, I’d love to hear how it turns out. Please write a comment here on the blog, email me or post a comment on the Pasta Project Facebook page.

Your feedback is really appreciated!

Buon Appetito!

More delicious pasta recipes on The Pasta Project.

  • Neapolitan tagliolini pasta pie
  • Tagliolini with taleggio and black truffle
  • Tagliolini with white truffle
  • Summer tagliolini with marinated vegetables
  • Pasta arancini from Naples
  • Ham and cheese pasta bake
  • Schinkenfleckerl baked pasta and ham
tagliolini au gratin with ham and cream
Step 8 Serve immediately with chopped fresh parsley.

Save this recipe for later?

If you want to save this recipe for later, you can print it, bookmark this page or save it to Pinterest.

tagliolini au gratin with ham and cream

If you love ham and pasta have a look at these traditional Italian pasta with ham recipes.

tagliolini au gratin with ham and cream

Tagliolini au gratin with ham and cream

Jacqueline De Bono
This very easy to make creamy tagliolini pasta au gratin recipe is based on Cipriani's famous baked tagliolini. This version includes fresh cream instead of béchamel. So simple to make and so delicious this is also a great way to use up leftover holiday ham!
5 from 30 votes
Print Recipe Save Recipe Saved!
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Total Time 30 minutes mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian, Northern Italy, Veneto
Servings 4
Calories 469 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 320 g tagliolini (11oz) or tagliatelle
  • 150 g cooked ham (5oz)
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 50 g Parmigiano cheese (2oz) grated
  • 50 g butter (2oz)
  • 200 ml heavy cream (Italian panna da cucina) (1 cup) you can also use single fresh cream but will need to reduce it or use less.
  • 1/2 handful fresh parsely
  • salt for pasta and to taste
  • black pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Put a pot of water on to boil for the pasta. When it starts to boil, add salt and bring to the boil again.
  • Cut the cooked ham into small pieces. 
  • In a bowl, whisk the cream together with the egg yolks, salt and pepper.
  • Add the cooked ham and mix. 
  • Cook the pasta al dente in the boiling salted water according to the instructions on the packet. Save a cup of the cooking water when the pasta is almost cooked.
  • Drain the pasta and return it to the pan or pour into a large bowl. Add the butter and most of the grated Parmigiano cheese. Mix well. If necessary add a little of the pasta cooking water to get a creamy consistency. 
  • Add the ham and cream mixture to the pasta and mix again. Then pour everything into a buttered oven dish. Sprinkle with more grated Parmigiano and add some small pieces of butter.
  • Bake in a hot 180 °c oven (356°F) for about 15 minutes until the top is crispy and golden. Wait 2-3 minutes before serving the tagliolini au gratin. Serve with a sprinkling of chopped fresh parsley.

Notes

The recipe can be made with tagliatelle too. Use egg pasta for best results.

Nutrition

Calories: 469kcal
Keyword authentic Italian pasta recipe, baked pasta recipe, ham, pasta al forno, quick and easy recipe, tagliolini
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

If you are interested in learning how to make homemade pasta and different types of gnocchi, check out my shop page for some great video online courses from my friends in Rome! Nothing beats learning to make pasta from Italians! Plus while you’re there why not order a copy of one of my pasta recipe cookbooks or checkout some recommended pasta making tools?


More Baked Pasta Recipes

  • Schinkenfleckerl baked pasta and ham casserole
    Schinkenfleckerl Baked Pasta and Ham
  • Ham and cheese pasta bake.
    Ham and Cheese Pasta Bake Recipe from the South Tyrol
  • smoked salmon pasta rosettes (rolls)
    Smoked Salmon Pasta Rosettes (rolls)
  • Baked orecchiette with lamb
    Baked orecchiette with lamb recipe from Matera.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Albert Premier says

    May 12, 2023 at 5:45 pm

    Jacqueline,
    I have a question: how does one in Italian polite society eat those taglioni au gratin? Does one use fork & spoon? With just a fork seems to me a bit difficult.
    This recipe reminds me a bit of the very Dutch “macaroni ham & kaas” (macaroni ham & cheese) wich, unlike the American mac’ncheese (with sauce Mornay) is made with an egg & cream (or just milk, the Dutch are notoriously thrifty) mixture.
    Regards,
    Albair.

    Reply
  2. George says

    November 27, 2021 at 4:34 am

    This recipe was great. I used North Carolina country ham and my homemade tagliolini and baked the pasta in individual pottery casserole dishes (that I made). I have an insulated tote that allowed us to enjoy the warm pasta at a cool tailgate (outdoor picnic in the parking lot before a sporting event).

    Reply
  3. Alex says

    November 14, 2021 at 10:34 pm

    I’m down for anything with cheese and ham! And with pasta?! This sounds like a dream dish.

    Reply
  4. Erin says

    November 14, 2021 at 9:24 pm

    I have everything I need to try this! I think I’ll make it for my husband’s birthday. It looks just perfect!

    Reply
  5. Elaine says

    November 13, 2021 at 7:19 pm

    Venice has been on my mind a lot lately. This tagliolini au gratin recipe is a great way to travel to Venice without leaving the house. So yummy!

    Reply
  6. Sharon says

    November 13, 2021 at 5:22 pm

    This is a delectable and easy-to-make dish. It’s the perfect meal to use up leftover ham too.

    Reply
  7. Veronika Sykorova says

    November 12, 2021 at 6:35 pm

    This looks amazing! All your pasta dishes are incredible!

    Reply
  8. Lauren Michael Harris says

    November 12, 2021 at 3:20 pm

    This ham and cheese pasta dish is the ultimate comfort food. it’s going to be on repeat here now that the weather is cooling off!

    Reply
  9. Leslie says

    November 11, 2021 at 9:20 pm

    Creamy, heart, and delicious! This is such an amazing pasta recipe and a great recipe to use to mix things up!

    Reply
  10. Veronika says

    November 11, 2021 at 5:45 pm

    Love easy and tasty pasta recipes! They are perfect for a busy weeknight and family weekend dinner!

    Reply
  11. nancy says

    November 11, 2021 at 6:37 am

    made this recipe tonight and everyone loved it!

    Reply
  12. Gloria says

    November 08, 2021 at 4:48 pm

    I could eat pasta for dinner every night of the week. This looks so delicious. I would make lots just for leftovers.

    Reply
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Buon giorno and welcome to my pasta project! My name is Jacqui. I’m originally a Londoner but in 2003 life’s journey brought me to the beautiful Veneto region of Italy where…

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