📌 Baked Coquillettes with Turkey Ham and Comté

Posted 5 April 2026 by: Admin #Recipes

Prep Time

20 minutes

Cook Time

30 minutes

Total Time

55 minutes

Servings

4 servings

Macaroni gratin (coquillettes) is the dish that divides adults between those who still eat it with nostalgia and those who snub it because it’s “too simple.” The latter are wrong. Made with the right techniques and two high-quality ingredients, this gratin is frankly unbeatable for a weeknight.

Final result — The ham and Comté macaroni gratin, fresh from the oven with its golden crust that crackles under the spoon.

Imagine the dish coming out of the oven. The surface is golden like light caramel, slightly blistered in places, with a few edges that have crisped up against the side of the dish. As you dive in with a spoon, you feel the resistance of the cheese that has welded into a thin crust, then the inside opens up — creamy, hot, with those small pieces of turkey ham that have taken on color during cooking. It smells like melted Comté, 그 nutty scent that fills the kitchen as soon as the oven exceeds 170°C.

Why you’ll love this recipe

✓Ready in less than an hour : 20 minutes of active preparation, the rest is the oven doing the work. You can set the table, help with homework, or do something else.

✓No impossible-to-find ingredients : Pasta, eggs, cream, cheese, turkey ham. Most of the time, all of this is already sitting in the fridge or cupboard.

✓It reheats really well : The next day in the oven at 160°C for 10 minutes, with a splash of water in the dish, it regains almost all of its melting texture. Better than many reheated dishes.

✓The base is versatile : Diced sautéed zucchini, sautéed mushrooms, Gruyère instead of Comté. The structure of the mixture remains the same and it works every time.

Ingredient Notes

Ingredients

Everything you need for this comforting gratin: simple and accessible ingredients, nothing more.

Coquillettes (Small Macaroni) : The shape really matters. The small curve of the coquillette holds the creamy mixture inside — penne or rigatoni don’t give the same result. 400 g for 4 people is the right proportion for the amount of mixture in this recipe.
Grated Comté : Get a Comté aged at least 12 months, not the young vacuum-packed kind that melts into tasteless rubber. The aged one has that nutty, cellar aroma. Grate it yourself if you can — bagged Comté is often too fine and too dry to brown properly.
Turkey Ham : We use turkey ham instead of classic ham, in thick slices rather than thin ones. Thick cubes resist the heat of the oven and maintain a real chew. Cut them into cubes of about 1 cm — neither too small so they disappear, nor too big so they unbalance the bites.
Thick Crème Fraîche : Thick, not liquid. Liquid cream makes the mixture too runny and the gratin won’t hold its shape. Three tablespoons are enough — the eggs already do the binding work, the cream is only there for creaminess.
Whole Eggs : Four eggs for 400 g of pasta. This is the element that transforms a pasta dish into a gratin. Whisk them until the white and yolk are completely combined and slightly frothy — this gives a more homogeneous mixture.

Cook the pasta less than you think

The classic trap of this gratin: coquillettes that are overcooked even before entering the oven. Al dente means they still resist under the tooth — remove them from the water 2 good minutes before the time indicated on the package. They will continue to cook for 30 minutes in the oven, absorbing the mixture and swelling gently. Drain them well. Shake the colander several times — residual water makes the mixture soggy and results in an unpleasantly watery gratin. Let them cool for 5 minutes before adding the eggs; you don’t want to scramble them at this stage.

The mixture is where it all happens

Whisk the 4 eggs until you get something homogeneous and slightly frothy. Add the crème fraîche and mix again. The texture should be smooth, a bit like a custard before cooking. Stir in half of the grated Comté — you’ll feel the cheese strands integrating into the mix. Taste before salting: Comté and turkey ham are already salty. Add some freshly ground pepper, generously. Then pour in the lukewarm coquillettes and the diced ham, mixing gently to coat every pasta piece without mashing them.

Let the oven do the work

Oven at 180°C, dish slightly oiled on the bottom and sides. Pour in the preparation, spread it out without packing it down too much — the gratin needs a little air to rise slightly. Sprinkle the rest of the Comté evenly over the entire surface. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when the surface has that light caramel color and you hear a slight crackling if you bring your ear close to the oven. If it’s still pale after 30 minutes, switch to grill mode for 3 minutes — no more, it burns fast.

Don’t touch anything for 5 minutes

The gratin comes out of the oven. It still smells of warm cheese and is slightly puffed at the edges. Place it on the counter and leave it alone. These 5 minutes allow the mixture to firm up — served too early, it collapses on the plate and the texture changes completely. A pinch of fleur de sel just before serving. That’s it.

Tips & Tricks

Oil the dish generously, including the sides — coquillettes sticking to the walls create a bitter burnt crust, whereas with oil they brown properly and release easily with a spatula.
If you prepare the gratin in advance, stop just before baking, wrap the dish in film, and keep it in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Allow an extra 5 to 10 minutes of cooking time when taking it out of the cold.
For an even stringier version, replace half of the Comté with drained mozzarella cut into cubes. The top will be less crispy but the inside becomes truly indulgent.

Close-up of the gratin crust: the caramelized Comté on top hides a melting and creamy texture underneath.

FAQs

Can I prepare this gratin in advance?

Yes, and it’s actually quite practical. Prepare everything up to the baking step, wrap the dish and keep it in the fridge for up to 24 hours. When cooking, allow an extra 5 to 10 minutes since the dish starts cold.

How to store and reheat leftovers?

The gratin keeps for 3 days in the fridge, covered with film or in an airtight container. To reheat, put it in the oven at 160°C for 10 minutes with a little water in the bottom of the dish — this prevents the pasta from drying out. The microwave also works, but the crust will disappear.

Can this gratin be frozen?

Yes. Let it cool completely, cut it into portions, and freeze in airtight containers. Keeps for 2 months. Reheat directly in the oven at 180°C for 20 minutes without defrosting first.

Why is my gratin too liquid or not holding together?

Two common causes: poorly drained pasta (residual water thins out the mixture) or using liquid cream instead of thick crème fraîche. Shake the colander well and check that you are using thick cream with at least 30% fat content.

What cheese can replace Comté?

Gruyère is the closest substitute — same family, same behavior during cooking. Matured cheddar gives a sharper result. Mozzarella works for a very stringy interior, but the top won’t brown as well. Avoid soft cheeses like Brie, which turn greasy.

Do I absolutely need a specific gratin dish?

No. Any oven-safe dish will do — glass, ceramic, or even a loaf tin for a taller version. The important thing is that the sides are high enough (at least 5 cm) so the preparation doesn’t overflow while rising.