Easy Peasy Creamy Prosciutto Pasta

In my house, weekends are often chaotic. I know, it's Monday, and here I am, talking about the weekend. Long way to go until the next one, right? That's all the more reason to grab this recipe. Not only is it perfect for weekends, but it's also a quick go-to recipe for any night of the week!

Okay, back to those chaotic weekends. I meal plan for the full week ahead every Saturday. The week starts with Sunday, and so does the weekly meal plan. I grocery shop, trying to stick within our grocery budget for the week. Without fail, by the time the weekend rolls around, I am done with the meal plan. Finito! I want to kiss it goodbye because if there's one thing about my husband's personality that has rubbed off on me since we got married, it's the desire for a little room for spontaneity.

Sometimes we switch the nights around for the meals I have planned for the week. You know how it is- sometimes you just don't feel like pork tenderloin on a Wednesday night. We always keep various types of pasta on hand, and even a few types of jarred sauces, just in case.

This weekend became so off-kilter that we had to go with a simplified meal plan for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The kids weren't feeling well, and we needed quick and easy meals that would satisfy all of us and keep us from picking up take out food.

We happened to have prosciutto in the fridge, and while I'm not a huge fan of uncooked prosciutto, I do love crispy prosciutto with pasta. As my hubby worked on cleaning up a few things in the house, I grabbed angel hair pasta, the prosciutto, a bag of frozen peas, heavy cream and parmesan cheese. Not that other pasta brands are bad, I just like the prosciutto more.

I had a feeling that those few ingredients would make a delicious dinner!

Easy Peasy Creamy Prosciutto Pasta

Start with the Prosciutto

We purchase prosciutto every now and then as a treat. The last round we bought wound up with a lot of fat on it. This turned out to be a good thing when it came to cooking the prosciutto. I simply tore the prosciutto into small ribbons and tossed them into a stainless steel pan. Just a few minutes cooking on medium heat crisped it right up. I removed the crispy prosciutto and drained off any excess fat by placing the cooked pieces on a paper towel.

Cook the Pasta and Peas

In a pot of boiling water, cook the pasta- you can use any pasta you like. I tend to use angel hair because it takes less time to cook. Make sure you cook the pasta only until it is al dente, otherwise you will wind up with starchy mush.

While the pasta is cooking, get the peas going. I pick up frozen sweet peas pretty often at the grocery store. Peas are perfect to toss into rice or pasta. I simply added 2 TBSP of water to a microwave-safe bowl with the peas, covered it, and microwaved it for about five minutes. Careful not to overcook your peas.

Make a Rue

Remove any excess fat from the cooked prosciutto from your skillet. Next, make a simple rue. Over medium/low heat, slowly add milk (1/2 cup), heavy cream (1 cup), and parmesan cheese. Use about half a cup of 2% milk, and cream, mixed. Add about 1 1/4 cups of parmesan cheese (grated or shredded). Add a dash of black pepper, a dash of nutmeg. Slowly stir until you reach the desired thickness.

Put it Together

After you have drained the pasta, add the cooked pasta to the cream sauce. Toss the pasta to coat with the sauce. Add the cooked prosciutto and the cooked peas. Gently toss together in the skillet. Top with a sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese.

This dish is so easy to make, and it's absolutely delicious! It was one of those weekend surprises that wound up bring a 'keeper' for comfort food cravings. I hope you'll give this yummy recipe a try and share it with others! Be sure to pin this one for later!

Do you love comfort foods?

What are some of your favorites?

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