Penne with Asparagus, Sage and Prosciutto

I adapted this dish from Food and Wine’s Penne with Asparagus, Sage and Peas recipe.  I had intended to follow the original recipe, but discovered I had no peas.  Also, some of the reviewers of the original recipe said it needed more flavor, and that prosciutto would be a welcome addition, so I went for it.  This turned out to be a tasty, brightly colored spring meal.

Apart from adding prosciutto and not including peas, I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out fine.  I started by browning about 4 oz. of chopped prosciutto until it was crispy and then removing it from the pan.  After that, I proceeded with the asparagus and garlic.

I had to cook the cream mixture a few minutes longer than the recipe called for to keep it from being totally runny.  I would recommend reducing it as much as needed to thicken it or the sauce will be runny.  If you are afraid that the asparagus will be overcooked, you can pour off a little liquid so it reduces faster.

This is a rich and decadent dish, despite the recipe’s “fresh spring produce” tagline.  I thought adding two tablespoons of butter at the end was gratuitous.  You could do without it completely, or just use less.

Reader's Comments

1. 

   Yum! This looks delish, though sadly not so much calorie free. I can’t wait for your Passover/Easter dishes!!
2. Meredith on 08 Apr 2009 3:02 pm
3. 

   Thanks, Meredith! Are you making anything interesting Passover or Easter related?
4. Elizabeth on 09 Apr 2009 1:54 pm