Pasta with Prosciutto and Parmesan

Nothing says comfort like pasta, beautiful carb-loaded pasta.  As a teen, pasta was my ingredient of choice making its way into my meals nearly every day.  Drenched in tomatoes or a cheesy, creamy sauce, it didn't matter, just so long as the base was my beloved pasta.

As some of you may know though, entering your 40's causes the body to process ingredients, shall we say, differently.  Where I could eat pasta all day, every day (even tossing in a glorious side of butter drenched garlic bread) and not gain a pound in my 20's, that same load of carbs now tends to hang around my not so bikini ready middle.

As such, pasta and I have not remained as close as we once were.  Now an occasional treat in place of an everyday ingredient, I choose my pasta dishes with care.  But once in a while nothing will do other than a bowl full of fresh pasta simply adorned with cheese.  To make myself feel less guilty I add spinach, or sometimes mushrooms and sautéed onions to justify an extra scoop.

Whichever way you choose, sometimes beautiful Parmesan Pasta is just a necessary part of your day.

Pasta with Prosciutto and Parmesan
Pasta tossed with a simple sauce-like coating of Parmesan brings all the pleasure needed when an extra dose of comfort is necessary.  Add your favorite vegetables and a sprinkle of prosciutto for a dish sure to make you smile.

One of those a little of this, and a little of that, recipes, using the ingredients you have on hand makes a perfect dish every time.
Recipe from Liv Life
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Penne
Parmesan, freshly grated (not from a can!), probably 1/3 to 1/2 cup
1/4 cup (or so) prosciutto, chopped
olive oil
handful of spinach, chopped
slice or two of onion, diced
handful of mushrooms, chopped

Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the penne.  Cook as directed, then drain, saving about 1/2 cup of the pasta water.

While the pasta is cooking, drizzle about a tablespoon of olive oil into a skillet over medium high heat on the stove.  Add the prosciutto, onions and mushrooms, and reduce the heat to slightly below medium.  Sautee the prosciutto and vegetables until tender.

After draining the pasta, add the pasta to the skillet with the prosciutto, mushrooms and onions, along with about 1/4 cup of the pasta water.  Heat and add the chopped spinach and the freshly grated Parmesan a few tablespoonfuls at a time, stirring constantly as the cheese melts.  Add cheese until the pasta is nicely coated.

Place pasta into a serving bowl and top with additional cheese and a sprinkle of freshly grated pepper.

Liv Life Note:  If desired, remove the prosciutto from the skillet before adding the pasta and simply sprinkle the prosciutto over the top of the pasta just before serving.  (My son likes it this way, while the rest of us like it all mixed in).

Liv Life Note 2:  Experiment with your favorite vegetables for a dish of your own creation!