pasta with spring pea sauce

Not only is this dish delicious but its quick and uses only 5-6 ingredients.  If your not a pea lover (shame on you) you could use spinach, corn or asparagus.

Ingredients

For the pasta

• 2 cup plus 2 tablespoons English peas

• 1 cup heavy cream

• salt to taste

• 1 lb penne pasta

• 1/4 lb prosciutto ham, diced

For garnish

• freshly grated pecorino cheese

• mint

• fresh lemon juice

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Makes 4 servings 

Prepare the pea sauce by heating the heavy cream with 2 cups of the peas until tender.  Puree mixture in a blender, season to taste with salt.

Boil pasta 6-8 minutes in salted water, drain and reserve ¼ cup of the pasta water.

Sauté prosciutto in a saute pan over medium heat until it starts to brown, add 2 tablespoons of the reserved peas and cook for another minute.   Add the pureed pea sauce, and the cooked pasta.  If mixture looks too thick add a little of the reserved pasta water to thin it out.  Put into serving bowls and garnish with plenty of pecorino, lemon juice, zest, and mint