When I was a child, pasta with butter and ricotta was my comfort food of choice, like many “American” children love Mac & Cheese. If my mom was making an “adult meal” or a pasta with “too many vegetables”, I would get pasta with ricotta, sometimes with butter and parmigiano, or sometimes with some leftover tomato sauce. I was excited to try this recipe!

First the fresh spinach is cleaned, quickly cooked, drained and chopped. While the pasta is boiling, butter, ham and the spinach are sauteed, with some salt. Adding a little nutmeg enhances the flavors. This mixture is tossed with the hot pasta, ricotta, more butter, and freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
If my mom had made this, she could have gotten me to eat all kinds of vegetables! I have made many pastas with the addition of pancetta, sausage, prosciutto, but never ham. We loved this simple dish!

While you are reading this, I am eating wonderful pasta in Bologna. I am so glad I will have great new pasta recipes to make when I get home.