Lemon Pesto Penne with Crispy Prosciutto and Asparagus
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 6 mins
- Total Time: 21 mins
- Yield: 2 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Cuisine: Italian, Gluten Free
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 oz Penne Pasta (I used DeLallo gluten free)
- 1 Tbs Salt (for the pasta water)
- 2 cups Italian Parsley
- 1/4 cup Cashews
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan
- 1 clove Garlic
- 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
- 2 Tbs fresh Lemon Juice
- 1/4 cup EVOO
- 9 Asparagus stalks chopped, ends trimmed off
- 2 Tbs EVOO
- 4 slices Prosciutto
- 2 Tbs chopped Shallots
- 1 Tbs Lemon Zest
- 1/2 cup shredded Grana Padano
Instructions
- Prepare the Lemon Pesto
- In a food processor add Parsley, Cashews, Parmesan, Garlic, 1/2 tsp Salt, Lemon Juice, and 1/4 cup EVOO
- Blend until smooth
- Set pesto aside (this will make 1/2 cup of pesto but you will only need 1/4 cup for this recipe. You can store the rest in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.)
- Fill a large pot half way with water and bring to a boil
- Add 1 Tbs Salt to the water
- Add Penne and cook as directed or until al dente
- During the last 2 minutes of the pasta cooking add the Asparagus pieces to the water
- Scoop about 1/4 cup of pasta water out and set aside
- Drain pasta and Asparagus
- In a large pan add 2 Tbs EVOO and heat over med heat
- Add Prosciutto and cook 1-2 minutes until crispy, remove and place on a paper towel, break into bite size pieces
- Add Shallots to pan and sauté 1 minute
- Add Prosciutto, Penne, Asparagus, Lemon Zest, and 1/4 cup Lemon Pesto to the pan
- Stir in a bit of pasta water to break up the pesto and create more of a sauce
- Cook 1-2 minutes until blended
- Add Grana Padano, stir and serve immediately
- Enjoy!
