Recipes

Pasta with Lemon Cream and Prosciutto

Pairs Well With

Serves 4 as a main course; 10 as a side dish

Ingredients

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter

3 large shallots, minced

3/4 cup low-salt chicken broth

1 cup whipping cream

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

1 teaspoon grated orange peel

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 cups frozen green peas, thawed

2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh mint leaves (editor's note: I used a ½ teaspoon dried marjoram instead)

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

16 ounces penne pasta

12 thin slices prosciutto-browned and then chopped in small pieces

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add broth. Simmer over medium-high heat until mixture is reduced to 1/4 cup, about 2 minutes. Add cream, lemon peel, orange peel, and cayenne. Simmer until sauce thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Add peas; simmer just until heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in mint and lemon juice. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain; return pasta to pot. Toss pasta with sauce to coat.

Divide pasta among plates or bowls. Sprinkle prosciutto atop pasta and serve, passing Parmesan separately.