Pasta al limone e prosciutto
Weeknight dinners are always the most challenging, between work and school and everything else you’ve got going on in your life, there’s very little time to lay out a meal everyone will love. But just because you’re limited on time (has anyone noticed the days are just getting shorter and shorter!?), doesn’t mean that what you put together in the kitchen has to be dull. What if I told you that you could get a sophisticated pasta dish on the dinner table in less than an hour without sacrificing flavor OR flair?
Are you as excited as I am? Cool, keep reading!
Pasta al limone is an absolute classic, known for the zippiness of the citrus mixed with the slight saltiness of the parmesan cream sauce. But what if we could elevate that flavor even more?
A couple weeks ago, while conducting a routine raid of the refrigerator to make room for the upcoming bi-weekly grocery trip, I thought about what I could add to the near-perfect pasta dish I was about to make that wouldn’t take away from any of its unique flavor. There in front of me, a package of prosciutto presented itself, leftover from making a big batch of collard greens (more on those at Thanksgiving!) earlier in the week. About 1.5 ounces remained of the 3 oz package, so I cut it up into 1-inch pieces, and tossed them in at the end. I wanted an element of smokiness to round out the other flavors, but didn’t want to overwhelm the dish with too much saltiness (parmesan cheese is naturally salty, plus coarse kosher salt is added in for additional seasoning). What I ended up with in each bite was salty-meaty bits of prosciutto, savoriness from the creamy cheese sauce, and a big hit of brightness coming not only from the lemon zest and juice in the sauce, but the long strips of lemon zest added on top. It was, in a word, perfetto!
This recipe is quick, easy, and can feed a family of four with the possibility of leftovers for lunch the next day. A delicious win-win if you ask me!
Pasta al Limone e Prosciutto
What You’ll Need:
1 lemon
16 oz spaghetti
Coarse kosher salt
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
1.5 oz prosciutto, cut into 1-inch pieces
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Using a vegetable peeler or very sharp knife, cut 4 2-inch long strips of lemon zest. Slice each strip lengthwise into thin strands, then set aside for later. Using a microplane, finely zest the rest of the lemon into a large pot that can withstand high temperatures (like a dutch oven). Into a small bowl, juice the lemon until you’ve got about 2 tablespoons. Set aside for later.
In a large pot of boiling, liberally-salted water (the pasta water should taste like the ocean) cook the pasta following the package directions for al dente.
While the pasta is cooking, add the heavy whipping cream to the pot with the grated lemon zest and cook over medium heat, whisking often. Do this until the cream has come to a simmer (this should take about 2-4 minutes). Reduce the heat to medium-low, then whisk in the butter 1 tablespoon at a time, making sure each addition of butter has completely melted before adding another. Once all the butter has been added and the sauce looks thicker and creamier, remove the pot from the heat.
Just before removing the pasta from the pot of boiling water, carefully ladle about 1 cup of pasta water into a clean measuring cup. Add about 3/4 of the pasta water to the cream sauce and return the cream sauce to medium heat. Use tongs to transfer the pasta from the pot with boiling water to the pot of the cream sauce. Cook the pasta in the cream sauce, making sure to toss often. At this point, begin adding the grated parmesan in small increments until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce is creamy. Next, add the prosciutto and continue to cook, tossing the pasta often, until the prosciutto has had a chance to warm up, about 2 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and season with kosher salt to taste.
Transfer the pasta to bowls and season with freshly ground black pepper. Top with the lemon zest strips and sprinkle on a little more parmesan cheese if preferred.
Source: Adapted from Bon Appetit
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