Šunkofleky (baked pasta squares with ham)

Šunkofleky — baked pasta squares with ham bound in an egg-and-cream custard and baked until golden; humble Czech comfort food in 45 minutes.

Ingredients

• flat pasta squares300 g
• ham200 g
• eggs3 pcs
• cream100 ml
• onion1 pcs
• butter30 g

Method

1. Mise en place. Heat the oven to 190 °C. Dice the onion finely and cut the ham into small cubes or thin strips. Whisk together the eggs and cream with a good pinch of salt and pepper until smooth.
2. Cook the pasta. Boil the pasta squares in well-salted water for 1–2 minutes less than the packet suggests — they'll finish cooking in the oven. Drain and set aside.
3. Soften the onion. Melt the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat and cook the onion for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and just starting to turn golden.
4. Combine filling. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the ham, then add the drained pasta. Tip everything into a buttered baking dish and spread it out evenly.
5. Pour over custard. Pour the egg-and-cream mixture evenly over the pasta, pressing the pasta down gently so it's well coated and most of it is submerged.
6. Bake until golden. Bake in the centre of the oven for 25–30 minutes, until the custard is fully set and the top is deep golden and starting to crisp at the edges. A knife inserted in the middle should come out clean.
7. Rest and serve. Leave the dish to stand for 5 minutes so it firms up and is easier to portion, then cut into squares and serve straight from the dish.

Safety & hygiene Important

• Egg custard fully cooked. Make sure the custard is completely set before serving — it should show no wobble in the centre and a knife should come out clean, ensuring the eggs are thoroughly cooked through.