WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
Simplicity and high-quality ingredients are at the heart of all Italian cooking, so for our version of the classic dish of tagliatelle with peas, we chose our ingredients through careful testing. Opting for a dried Italian-made egg pasta over traditional dried pasta got us very close to the texture of labor-intensive fresh pasta. Frozen peas, which are picked and frozen at peak ripeness, offered the most consistently sweet results. To make the most of the full flavor of pricey imported prosciutto di Parma, we used it in two ways: minced and cooked with the cream, and also sliced into strips and tossed with the pasta right before serving. If using sliced-to-order prosciutto, ask for it to be sliced 1⁄16 inch thick. Look for a hard Gruyère that is aged for at least 10 months and use a rasp-style grater or the small holes of box grater to grate it. If you cannot find tagliatelle, substitute pappardelle.
SERVES: 4 to 6
TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
- 6 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 shallot, minced
- Salt and pepper
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 pound tagliatelle
- 1½ cups frozen petite peas, thawed
- 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (½ cup)
- 1 ounce Gruyère cheese, grated (½ cup)
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Slice 5 ounces prosciutto crosswise into ¼-inch-wide strips; set aside. Mince remaining 1 ounce prosciutto.
- Melt butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-low heat. Add shallot and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in cream and minced prosciutto and bring to simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cream mixture measures 1 cup, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and cover to keep warm.
- Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente.
- Reserve 2 cups cooking water, then drain pasta and return it to pot.
- Add 1 cup reserved cooking water, cream mixture, prosciutto strips, peas, Parmesan, Gruyère, and 1 teaspoon pepper and gently toss until well coated.
- Adjust consistency with remaining reserved cooking water as needed. Serve immediately.
