Pasta with prosciutto and green peas recipe
Share this recipe on FacebookA delicious and easy to make Italian pasta dish using prosciutto, peas and milk as main ingredients. This dish refrigerates well and can be eaten cold the following day. For this type of sauce it is important to use farfalle or similar shaped pasta.
Preparation time: 5 minutes, Cooking time: 10 minutes, Serves: 4
Ingredients
1 package of farfalle (bow tie) or similar shaped pasta
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 small white onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, crushed or finely chopped
7 slices of prosciutto, chopped
2 cups frozen sweet peas
4-6 fresh mint leaves, chopped
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
3 - 6 oz. evaporated milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Grated Parmesan cheese for topping
Directions
Cook the pasta, al dente, in lots of boiling salted water, according to directions on the packaging.
While the pasta is cooking start making the sauce.
In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat until the butter melts. Add the onion and garlic and saute for about five minutes, until the onion is transluscent. Be careful not to burn the garlic as it will give a bitter taste to the dish. Add the prosciutto and cook for two minutes more.
Add the frozen pease, the mint and the crushed red pepper and stir in the evaporated milk (the less milk you add the thicken the sauce). Simmer until the milk is heated. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper, to taste. Remove from the heat and keep warm, until the pasta is ready.
When the pasta is cooked, drain and pour into the saucepan (if the saucepan is not big enough, pour the pasta into a large bowl and pour the sauce over). Toss well until the pasta is covered with the sauce. Serve in individual dishes with grated Parmesan cheese on top.
Notes and tips
Most pasta sauces can be prepared while the pasta is cooking. The typical procedure for cooking pasta is to start cooking the pasta together with the sauce. By the time the pasta is ready (usually around 10 minutes), the sauce should be ready too. The secret of saving time with Italian pasta dishes is to manage to synchronize the cooking time of the pasta and the sauce, so that they both finish together. While they are cooking, you can do other things such as grate the Parmesan cheese, prepare the serving dishes etc.