I’m a big fan of the NY Times Dining Section and this recipe owes its origins to the wonderful Melissa Clark. I’ve made this pasta a few times and it’s always delicious. Today I was thinking about it while driving home, almost tasting it really, and I knew I had all the ingredients in the house, but when I reached home, I couldn’t find the recipe anywhere. I searched, I munched on chocolate (I was hungry!), and I searched some more. Voila! And now I’m adding it here so that I won’t misplace it again (think of all the chocolate calories that could have been avoided if I had headed right to the stove).
Ingredients for 2 servings
- 8 oz penne (or similar pasta)
- 8 oz brussels sprouts, thinly sliced
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 3 oz prosciutto (the original recipe calls for pancetta, but I never have that on hand, any ham-like meat will do), cut into small pieces
- 1 large rosemary sprig (or a sprinkling of dried rosemary)
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled, crushed
- 2 tsp butter
- 1 large pinch red pepper flakes
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
Directions
- Cook the pasta and prepare your veggies (slice, peel garlic, etc.).
- Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Add the proscuitto and rosemary and saute for about 1 minute.
- Add the garlic, red pepper, and black pepper. Saute about 3 minutes.
- Add the brussels sprouts, a pinch of salt, and a splash of water. Saute until the sprouts start to soften, about 2 minutes.
- Spread sprouts in pan and press down to flatten and sear, about 1 minute. Stir up and repeat the searing process. The sprouts should brown.
- Add the butter and saute for another minute.
- Toss the pasta and brussels sprouts together. Eat happily.
Lauryn Cooks 