To make a great meal out of this, Giudice says, you could pair it with a second dish—a salad or an entrée like chicken parmesan, depending on how many guests you’re serving. And of course, a red wine. “Pasta and red wine go great together,” she says. “My favorite’s Cabernet. I love a wine with good body.”
The quality of pasta matters here too: Giudice recommends fresh pasta, homemade or from your local Italian deli or store. And while the recipe calls for half plain and half spinach pasta, that’s really just to make it a more colorful dish. You can use all plain or all spinach, or whatever you have on hand. Top with a little grated cheese—Parmigiano Reggiano is Giudice’s favorite—and you have the perfect Sunday dinner. Buon appetito!
Teresa Giudice’s Favorite Tagliatelle
Serves 6
Ingredients
1 pound tagliatelle or linguine pasta, preferably 8 ounces each plain and spinach
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons butter
5 ounces thick-sliced smoked ham, trimmed of excess fat and cut into ½-inch cubes
1 cup cooked fresh or thawed frozen peas
¼ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Time the pasta so it’s done at about the same time as the sauce.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the butter and heat until melted. Add the ham and peas, and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to very low to keep warm.
Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water. Return the pasta to the pot. Add the sauce, salt, and pepper. Toss the pasta, adding enough pasta water to make a light sauce. Serve hot.
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