Ham and Asparagus Pasta Nests (Rotolo)

INGREDIENTS

250 g

asparagus, sliced

2 tbsp

olive oil

garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

40 g

butter

20 g

plain flour

400 milliliters

chicken or vegetable stock, hot

250 g

mozzarella balls, broken into pieces

250 g

cooked ham (ideally an Italian rosemary variety), torn into pieces

6 tbsp

freshly grated Parmesan

Black pepper

For the pasta:

200 g

Italian ‘00’ flour

eggs

For the Béchamel sauce:

40 g

butter

40 g

plain flour

500 milliliters

hot whole milk

Freshly ground nutmeg

Salt and freshly ground white pepper