Directions
Preheat a grill to medium. Lay the Parma ham flat on a baking sheet and put it under the grill for 5 minutes to crisp up.
Chop the asparagus into short lengths, then cook in boiling water for a couple of mins before lifting out using a slotted spoon.
Cook the gnocchi for 2 minutes in the same water, then drain, reserving some of the starchy water.
Add the butter and a splash of olive oil to a frying pan and gently sizzle the garlic for a minute or so.
Add the gnocchi and gently cook for a couple of minutes, adding a generous few spoonfuls of the water. Once a creamy sauce has formed, add the asparagus.
Season with plenty of black pepper. Serve with plenty of Parmesan grated on top and the crispy Parma ham.
Recipe Note
About This Gnocchi with Asparagus and Parma Ham Recipe
British asparagus has a true season that runs from late April to around the longest day in June, and this asparagus pasta recipe is built squarely around that window. Parma ham, the dry-cured ham from the hills around Parma in northern Italy, is aged for a minimum of 12 months and develops a sweet, faintly nutty flavour that crisps up beautifully in a dry pan. A good crispy parma ham recipe needs nothing more than a pan and a few minutes of attention; the contrast between soft, pillowy gnocchi, snappy green asparagus and crisp, salty ham is what makes the dish work.
A small amount of butter, a generous shaving of parmesan and a squeeze of lemon are enough to pull everything together.
Serving Suggestions
Serve gnocchi with asparagus and Parma ham on its own as a primo or a light main, with a small dressed green salad on the side and a chilled glass of unoaked Italian white wine such as Verdicchio or Vermentino.
Out of asparagus season, this quick spring pasta works equally well with broad beans, fresh peas or thin tenderstem broccoli, and prosciutto di San Daniele can stand in for Parma ham with a slightly sweeter finish.
