This recipe comes from Leonard B. He's not sure where it originated, but it's a dream. Salty, sweet, creamy, and fatty, with vegetal notes from the peas. The white, red, and green make a very festive dish that tastes delicious. Your friends will be impressed.
Campanelle pasta has a shape that will really hold the cream sauce and also has some nooks to hold the peas when you scoop it up.
You can make this through the end of step B and then wait up to 30 minutes. Gently reheat the sauce and add the grated cheese just before service. The heat of the pasta helps melt the cheese.
Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4
| A. | butter | 4 tablespoons | |
| yellow onion | 1 medium | Chop finely. | |
| prosciutto | 4 ounces | Cut into thin strips about 0.25 inch wide and 1 inch long. | |
Pour 4 quarts of water into a large pot and place over high heat. Melt the butter in a large skillet over a medium heat. When it stops bubbling, add the onion and cook until it has softened and turned a rich golden color. 5 to 7 minutes. Add the prosciutto and continue cooking, stirring, until it has lost its raw color: 1 to 2 minutes. |
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| B. | green peas, fresh | 0.25 pound | Shelled and cooked until tender. Can substitute frozen peas, thawed. |
| salt | to taste | ||
| ground black pepper | to taste | ||
| heavy cream | 1 cup | ||
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Pour in the cream and cook, stirring frequently, until it has reduced by half. Remove the skillet from the heat and set aside. |
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| C. | campanelle pasta, dried | 0.75 pounds | |
| Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese | 0.5 cup | Grated. | |
When the water for the pasta is boiling, and the sauce is off the heat, add 1 tablespoon of salt to the boiling water and drop in the pasta all at once, stirring well. When the pasta is cooked al dente, drain it and toss it with the sauce, adding the grated cheese. Taste for salt and serve at once. |
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