Penne With Aspargus Prosciutto Sauce Recipes

PENNE WITH ASPARAGUS AND CHERRY TOMATOES (SPRING)

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
• In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the asparagus, season with the salt and pepper, and cook for 3 minutes until slightly soft. Add the cherry tomatoes and peas. Cook for 2 minutes. Pour the chicken stock into the pan and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook until the tomatoes start to burst and the stock is reduced by half, about 3 minutes.
• Transfer the asparagus mixture to a large serving bowl. Add the cooked pasta and 1/2 of the Parmesan. Toss well, adding reserved pasta water, if needed, to loosen the pasta. Garnish with the remaining Parmesan and chopped basil.

PENNE WITH PARMESAN CREAM AND PROSCIUTTO

Steps:

• Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 375°F.
• Bring cream, 1 1/2 cups cheese, 3/4 teaspoon black pepper, and 3/4 teaspoon salt just to a boil in a small heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
• Cook pasta in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water, until al dente, then drain in a colander. Return pasta to pot, then stir in parmesan cream and prosciutto, tossing to coat. Transfer mixture to a 2-quart shallow flameproof gratin or baking dish (about 11 by 8 by 2 inches; not glass) and bake 15 minutes.
• Stir pasta well to coat evenly with sauce, then sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons cheese.
• Turn on broiler and broil pasta 4 to 5 inches from heat until top is lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.

PENNE WITH TOMATO PROSCIUTTO SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oil in a wide heavy medium pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then sauté onion until golden, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and sauté until golden, about 1 minute. Add prosciutto and sauté until golden, about 4 minutes. Add tomatoes with reserved juice, sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Cool, uncovered, then chill, covered, at least 8 hours (to allow flavors to develop).
• Cook penne in a pasta pot of boiling salted water (3 tablespoons salt for 6 quarts water) until al dente. Drain well.
• While pasta cooks, reheat sauce over medium heat.
• Toss pasta with some of sauce in a serving bowl and serve remaining sauce on the side.

PASTA WITH ASPARAGUS AND PROSCIUTTO

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the prosciutto in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it renders some fat and begins to brown, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme and cook until the garlic just begins to soften, about 30 seconds. Remove the skillet from the heat and add the wine. Return to the heat and cook until the wine evaporates slightly, about 2 more minutes. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Add the cream and nutmeg and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly, about 3 more minutes.
• Meanwhile, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook as the label directs, adding the asparagus during the last minute of cooking. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain the pasta and asparagus.
• Add the cheese to the cream sauce and stir to combine. Add the pasta and asparagus and toss to coat, adding some of the reserved cooking water to loosen, if needed. Season with salt and pepper. Divide among bowls and top with more cheese.

PENNE WITH ASPARGUS-PROSCIUTTO SAUCE

Steps:

• Set a large pot of cold water to boil. Once it reaches a rolling boil, add a pinch of salt and let return to a full boil.
• After washing the asparagus and cutting away any woody ends, boil them in the water just until you can penetrate the thick end of 1 of the stalks by stabbing it with a fork. Lift out the asparagus but continue to let the water boil. Cut off the tips of the asparagus and reserve. Chop the asparagus stalks into 1-inch pieces and then puree either in a manual food mill or in a blender or food processor. The result should be a thick cream.
• Melt the butter in a saucepan and then add the prosciutto bits, sauteing just until they give off a little fragrance. Then stir in the asparagus puree and, moments later, the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Cook gently, taking care that the sauce does not boil.
• At this point, toss the penne into the pot of boiling water. Cook for 8 minutes or according to package instructions. Once penne is cooked, drain water and place penne in a warm bowl.
• While the penne is cooking, add the asparagus tips and some of the cream to the sauce. You do not want to make the sauce too liquid, so only add as much cream as will give the sauce a velvety texture.
• Once the penne is cooked, spoon the sauce on and toss. Serve on individual plates with a pinch more Parmigiano-Reggiano on top an

SPINACH-RICOTTA PESTO PASTA WITH CRISP PROSCIUTTO AND ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over high heat. When it boils, add pasta and cook as indicated on box.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. When it shimmers, add prosciutto and cook, stirring occasionally, until prosciutto is crisp, about 5 minutes. Add asparagus and toss to coat evenly. Let cook until asparagus just starts to get browned on the edges, about 3 minutes.
• Remove 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Add a few tablespoons of the water to the asparagus mixture, stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to incorporate browned bits, and remove from heat. Drain pasta and return to pot (off heat), add remaining reserved pasta cooking water, asparagus, Spinach-Ricotta Dip, and stir until thoroughly coated. Taste and adjust seasoning, as desired. Serve immediately.
• In a large frying pan, heat oil over medium heat. When oil shimmers, add pine nuts and cook until they make a popping noise and start to brown, about 1 minute. Stir in garlic and onion and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer onion mixture to a food processor fitted with a blade, add in remaining ingredients, and process until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning, as necessary.

PENNE PASTA WITH ASPARAGUS SAUCE

Steps:

• Cut the asparagus into one inch pieces; reserving the tips.
• Cook asparagus in 5 quarts of water until very tender 6-8 minutes.
• Reserve the water by using a slotted spoon to remove the asparagus to a colander.
• Put the drained asparagus in a food processor.
• Cook the tips for 3-5 minutes until just tender.
• Remove from water with slotted spoon, reserving the water.
• Puree the stems with the lemon zest and oil and 1/2 cup of the asparagus water.
• Cook the pasta in the asparagus water to your liking.
• Drain the pasta saving 2 cups of the water.
• Combine the pasta, asparagus sauce and add asparagus water if the sauce is too thick- a little at a time.
• Stir in tips and grated cheese.
• Stir until cheese is melted.
• Serve with a light dusting of chopped parsley.

PENNE WITH TOMATO PROSCIUTTO SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oil in a wide heavy medium pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then sauté onion until golden, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and sauté until golden, about 1 minute. Add prosciutto and sauté until golden, about 4 minutes.
• Add tomatoes with reserved juice, sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Cool, uncovered, then chill, covered, at least 8 hours (to allow flavors to develop).
• Cook penne in a pasta pot of boiling salted water (3 tablespoons salt for 6 quarts water) until al dente. Drain well.
• While pasta cooks, reheat sauce over medium heat.
• Toss pasta with some of sauce in a serving bowl and serve remaining sauce on the side.
• Cooks' note: Sauce can be chilled up to 3 days.