Baked Pasta with Prosciutto and Peas

Tonight I made dinner from Williams-Sonoma's cookbook One Pot. I highly recommend this cookbook and any of the cookbooks from the WS line - they are all easy and full of good recipes. This is one of my favorite go-to recipes. I can make a whole batch and freeze half in an 8x8 pan. And it's easy enough to make after getting home from work. I use pancetta instead of prosciutto half the time depending on what I can find. V loves it and doesn't seem to mind all the extra peas I add.

1 lb short tube pasta

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup flour

4 cups flour

1/8 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg

2 cups parmesan cheese

1 cup frozen peas - or more to your heart's content

1/4 lb prosciutto or pancetta or just regular ham

Cook the pasta (you should know how to do this.) Melt the butter in a pan, add in the flour, and whisk for 30 seconds. Slowly add the milk while whisking. Cook until sauce is thick, 5-10 minutes. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Add pasta combine.

At that point you could go two ways. If you are eating it right away then go ahead. If you are making it in advance put it in a pan, let cool then put in the fridge/freezer. When you are ready to eat it, put it in a 425 degree oven for about 20 minutes. Williams-Sonoma says to sprinkle over 1/2 cup of bread crumbs before putting it in the oven. But I don't like bread crumbs on my pasta as a general rule so I don't add them. Try this recipe and check out the cookbook - it's worth the time!