Spring Pasta with Peas, Asparagus and Prosciutto
Eating locally and in season just makes sense, The produce is more flavorful, more fresh, and generally at it’s most inexpensive. If you can find a local gardener or small farmer then you are really in luck. Maybe it won’t be certified organic but you can bet it will be affordable, delicious, and grown with care. That is what real food is all about.
And when you can take real food and make a real meal with it..then that is real good.
This is the first RestlessChipotle entry for Presto Pasta Nights. This week it is hosted byMarye at Baking Delights.
This spring pasta is an amazing juggling act of delicate flavor. Spring onion, scallions, fresh peas, baby spinach, tiny asparagus shoots (or fiddleheads if you are lucky enough to have them available) and just enough musky sweet prosciutto and salty Parmesan to let your mouth know that you are serious about your food.
This dish takes less than thirty minutes. A perfect week night meal. I found the original on Epicurious. I adjusted to my own tastes and the result was …very good. If you dislike prosciutto you could use bacon but I think it would be too salty.
Spring Pasta
serves 8
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1lb green onions cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
- 1/4 cup minced shallot
- Coarse kosher salt
- 1 cup free range chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 1/2 pounds asparagus, cut crosswise into 3/4-inch pieces
- 2 cups shelled fresh peas (from about 2 pounds peas in pods, or frozen
- 1 pound medium shell pasta
- 1 lb baby spinach, cut in 1/2 inch strips
- 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese plus additional 1/2 cup for sprinkling
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide strips
Instructions
Melt butter and olive oil in large skillet. Add the shallots and green onions, season with salt. Saute without browning until tender. Add the balsamic and deglaze the pan. Add the chicken broth. Allow to simmer on very low heat while you prepare the rest.
Bring a stockpot of water to a boil. Cook the asparagus until tender crisp. Remove to a bowl with a slotted spoon. Return water to a boil and add the peas cooking until just barely tender. Remove from pot with a slotted spoon. If you are using frozen peas skip this step.
Bring the water back to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente. Drain it.
Add the spinach to the onion mixture and stir until the spinach barely wilts. Add the pasta, the prosciutto, and 1 cup of the cheese and stir it in. Add a little extra chicken broth if it seems to dry. Season with salt and pepper.Sprinkle with some more cheese and serve immediately.
