Taglioni gratinari al prosciutto or Pasta with ham au gratin

All the way fromVenice comes this most popular pasta dish.... maybe it will bring back fond memories as it does for us....
Tagliolini gratinati al prosciutto - Egg pasta with ham au gratin
3 tbl butter
1/2 cup (about 60 gr) prosciutto, cut into julienne strips
3/4 pound (330 gr) dried tagliolini or tagliatelle (egg pasta)
1/2 cup (65 gr) freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra to pass at the table
1/2 cup Bechamel Sauce (white sauce)
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat the broiler. Put water to boil for pasta, add some oil and salt. Melt 1 tbl of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ham and cook it for a minute, stirring constantly. Cook the pasta in the boiling water until al dente. Drain it well in a colander, and put it in the skillet. Toss it with the ham, add another tbl of the butter, sprinkle with half the Parmesan, and toss well. Spread the pasta evenly in a casserole dish. Spoon the sauce over the top and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan. Cut the remaining butter into bits and scatter over the top. Broil as close as possible to the heat source until golden and bubbly, about 1 to 2 minutes. Serve immediately and pass around a small bowl of grated Parmesan cheese.
Bechamel Sauce (white sauce).-
2 tbl butter
2 tbl flour
1 cup milk
Put pan on med heat and place butter in, add flour, mix well. Using wooden spoon, stir for 2-3 min so you cook away the flour taste before adding the milk. You could use consome or water but it would not be the same. Stir constantly to avid lumps (I use a wire whisk and don't take my eyes off it until done), plus you can use a bit more milk if you want a looser sauce.
NOTE: This is THE basic sauce for so many things.... good idea to add it to your repertoire as it will be handy....