Pasta With Crispy Prosciutto and Arugula Pesto

Submitted by Sandi From CA

"Inspired by Mercy’s Recipe #157831, we had this last night and devoured every last bit of it! Choose a pasta that holds sauce well such as one with ridges or nooks."

 

• Ready In: 20mins
• Ingredients: 10
• Serves: 2

ingredients

• FOR THE PESTO

• 1⁄2 cup firmly packed arugula leaf
• 2 cloves roasted garlic or 1/2 minced garlic clove
• 2 tablespoons toasted walnuts
• 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• FOR THE PASTA

• 1⁄2 lb pasta, cooked al dente
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 4 slices prosciutto, very thin slices, torn into 1 to 2-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, minced (optional)
• freshly grated parmesan cheese

directions

1. Combine the first three pesto ingredients (arugula, garlic and walnuts) in a blender or food processor and pulse to a coarse consistency.
2. Drizzle in the olive oil and continue to pulse/blend until the pesto is the consistency you prefer. I like it somewhere in between smooth and coarse. You can adjust the ingredients further to your tastes if you like.
3. Finally, either stir or process in the 2 tablespoons of parmesan.
4. Heat the 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat and when hot, add the prosciutto, trying to keep it generally in a single layer as much as possible. Fry for about a minute, turn and fry an additional minute or until crispy. You can kind of visually tell when it’s there by the browning and how it's somewhat stiff when turning. Drain on paper towels.
5. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente and drain well. Fold in as much of the pesto as you like, then the prosciutto and the sun-dried tomatoes, if using.
6. Finally, garnish with parmesan cheese and EAT, baby, EEEEEAT!

Reviews

[Damon R.]

Absolutely delicious. I have played with it some, and actually made it twice in the same week, as it was just easy. I made it as written first time, and the second, I used baby spinach and smoked bacon (instead of the arugula leaf and prosciutto. Excellent both ways! Thanks for a great recipe!

 

[Maito]

A lot of nice flavors here, can't go wrong really. Used half the prosciutto and double the sundried tomatoes. Also doubled the roasted garlic, but it was still quite subtle, so I would at least double it again next time. I also used the method for baking the prosciutto in Recipe #319957.