P Cubed

Pasta with Prosciutto and Peas--or P Cubed as we've taken to calling it--has made its way onto every meal list we've made in the last few months. (Seriously--we've eaten it almost once a week.)  The original recipe is from Martha Stewart's Great Food Fast (an awesome cookbook I'd highly recommend), and it took us over a year to finally try it out, mostly because Matt doesn't like peas.  But guess what?  He loves them in this. 

And why wouldn't he?  They're mixed with fancy bacon, and cheese, and cream, and shallots, and lemon zest and juice, and pasta.  What's not to love?

This dish is just perfect--absolutely perfect.  We've made a few slight changes--including baking the prosciutto beforehand and adding crushed red pepper for a little heat.  Oh, and don't skip the lemon zest or juice; they really tie the room together.

And I'm pretty sure that when garlic and onion have a baby, it's called a shallot.  Why are they so good?

Matt loves following directions.

Mitch loves begging for treats.  He is not as obsessive about following directions.

Here's the recipe.

Pasta with Prosciutto and Peas (Adapted from Martha's recipe)

Ingredients

Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 pound angel hair (or whatever pasta you prefer)
1 tablespoon butter
1 shallot, finely chopped (1/4 cup)
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 package (10 ounces) frozen peas, thawed
8 slices prosciutto (about 4 ounces total), halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise, about 1 cup
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving (optional)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Directions

1.In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente, according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water; drain pasta and return to pot.

2.  Spread prosciutto evenly on a baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes at 350, until edges are slightly crispy.

3.Meanwhile, make sauce: In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-low heat; add shallot and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add cream, peas, and prosciutto; bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Simmer until peas are heated through, 3 to 4 minutes.

4.Stir in lemon zest and juice. Pour sauce over pasta; add Parmesan, and season generously with salt and pepper. Add enough reserved pasta water to thin sauce as desired. Serve immediately; top with additional Parmesan, if desired.