Fettuccine with Prosciutto, Asparagus & Cream

Ingredients:

• Fettuccine made with 3 eggs or 1 lb dried, store-bought egg fettuccine
• 1/2 lb asparagus
• Salt
• 3 Tbs butter
• 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 4 oz prosciutto, cut into thin strips from an 1/8in thick slice
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (Parmesan)

Preparation:

Trim and peel the lower green portions of the asparagus. Cook whole in salted boiling water in a skillet until tender. Reserve 1/2 cup of the water. Cut the asparagus, when cool enough to handle, into 1/4in lengths.

Pour 4 quarts of water into a large saucepan or pot and place over a high heat.

Melt the butter in a skillet over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook until it softens and turns a rich golden color. Stir in the “prosciutto” and saute’ until it has lost its raw color. Add the asparagus, raise the heat to medium-high and cook until it is lightly colored. Pour the reserved water in and cook until it has evaporated. Stir in the cream and cook, stirring frequently, until it has reduced by half. Remoive the skillet from the heat and set aside.

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. Serve at once.

This sauce is also good with penne, fusilli corti, garganelli.

From: Giuliano Hazan
The Classic Pasta Cookbook
1993, London and New York, Dorling Kindersley
Used with permission

Authentic gourmet products:

Italian Parmesan Cheese (Parmigiano Reggiano)
Italian Pasta