Fettuccine paired with shaved asparagus, and salty prosciutto nestled in a creamy pasta sauce.
Asparagus is one of those vegetables that I grew to love as I became an adult. On its own it really doesn’t have much flavor to me but when it’s just lightly seasoned it becomes this magical veggie.
I tend to buy mine in the large 3lb bags at Costco and Sam’s Club as well, in this economy, it’s way cheaper than the grocery stores. Plus they always seem to have better asparagus there than the market.
This dish cam about as I was tired of the same ol’ way of serving it – roasted or grilled. I wanted to mix it up. And since. Mr. Fantabulous LOVES his pasta, I figured I’d incorporate it into that.
I’ve lost count as to how many times I’ve made this dish since coming up with it. When you go with the full-on version (mascarpone and prosciutto) it’s a little bit heavier – pure comfort food. With the meatless and low-fat version, it’s lighter and is perfect for lunch or having it as a snack (smaller portion).
With this recipe, you can go with your favorite pasta. I found that fettuccini or even angel hair worked the best versus say a noodle like cavatappi but then that’s just my thoughts.
Shaved Asparagus Prosciutto Pasta
Fettuccine, shaved asparagus, and salty prosciutto nestled in a creamy pasta sauce
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 people
- Category: pasta, comfort food, cheesy
- Method: stove top
- Cuisine: pasta, comfort food, cheesy
Ingredients
- 12 stalks of asparagus, woody ends snipped off
- 2 large shallots, minced
- 4 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1/3–1/2 cup mascarpone cheese * for lower fat use low-fat ricotta that you’ve blended until very creamy
- 1 lb capellini or fettuccini noodles
- 6 slices prosciutto, rough cut into smaller strips *leave out for meatless
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2–1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 – 1 teaspoon fresh black pepper
- 1/2–1 teaspoon sea salt if not using prosciutto
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 3/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 4–6 ounces shaved Parmesan Cheese
Instructions
- To shave the asparagus stalks into long ribbons, place a stalk on the cutting board in front of you with the tip pointing away from you. Starting at the stem end, use a Vegetable Peeler to shave ribbons off the stalk, pressing down to ensure you get an even cut.
- Bring a large pot of water to a hard boil, add in the pasta, and a pinch of salt, and boil until al dente. ~5-8 minutes (depending on the type of noodle).
- In a large skillet over medium heat add the olive oil until hot. Add in the shallots and garlic. Sauté until translucent ~5-6 minutes. Add in the black pepper and red pepper flakes.
- Drain the pasta but reserve 1-2 cups of the pasta water. Pour a cup of pasta water and lemon juice into the skillet and add mascarpone. Stir until dissolved. Add in the shredded parmesan cheese and stir.
- Toss in the asparagus ribbons for a few minutes to soften slightly. Add the pasta to the pan and gently mix. Add the prosciutto and remove the pan from the heat, gently stirring in the prosciutto. Taste and adjust seasonings. Plate and add shaved Parmesan on top.
Notes
I highly recommend this Vegetable Peeler . Love it!
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