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1
Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta; preheat oven to 500.
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2
Cut the ham into long 1/2-inch wide strips, then cut crosswise to make 1- to 1 1/2 inch long pieces (you should have about 1 cup).
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3
Toss in a large mixing bowl; add in the peas, Pecorino Romano, 1/2 cup of the Grana Padano, cream, and salt; mix together.
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4
Add just enough grated nutmeg for a good whiff to reach your nose.
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5
Your want to flavor the cream discreetly.
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6
Fold it into the mixture and add more salt if necessary.
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7
Generously salt the boiling water and drop in the pasta.
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8
Cook, stirring often, for 4 minutes.
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9
The pasta will be parboiled and too hard to eat; it cooks further in the oven.
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10
Drain the macaroni, reserving 1 cup of the water, and transfer the pasta to the mixing bowl.
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11
Add 1/2 cup pasta water and toss again; there should be abundant liquid surrounding the pasta; add more water if it looks too dry or too thick.
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12
Transfer the pasta and its sauce to individual shallow baking dishes or to 1 or 2 shallow baking dishes.
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13
Bake for 8-10 minutes (check halfway through baking time and drizzle with more pasta water if necessary), until bubbly hot with a few browned noodles on top.
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14
Serve right away with the remaining Grana Padano passed at the table.
