Tagliatelle with Prosciutto and Snap Peas
AKA: How a Quick Lunch Turned Into a Pasta Shopping Spree and a Glorious Dinner
Let me start by saying I love Eataly. I live in Chicago, so it’s basically my neighborhood wellness center—if your version of wellness includes pasta, wine, and a side of financial irresponsibility. Eataly is my happy place. My safe space. My wallet’s worst nightmare.
Servings
4
Ready In:
20 minutes
Good For:
Lunch, Dinner, Supper
Inroduction
About this Recipe
So, there I was, enjoying a completely innocent lunch with a friend at the upstairs restaurant when I saw a pasta-making demo out of the corner of my eye. You know, the kind of thing that whispers, “Just come look… you don’t have to buy anything.” Lies. All lies. I told my friend I was going to just peek and she gave me a look that said, “You’re coming back with something, aren’t you?” Spoiler: she was right. I walked out with three glorious rolls of fresh spinach tagliatelle and a renewed sense of culinary purpose.
Naturally, this green ribboned pasta got me thinking about an old Williams Sonoma cookbook recipe that involved prosciutto, and one thing led to another: I bought prosciutto, snap peas, cherry tomatoes, arugula, mascarpone, a lemon, and—because I’m not a quitter—a bottle of Vespa Bianco. (You may remember it from a recent celebration. If not, you’ll meet it again at dinner.)
The result? A somewhat improvised, entirely delicious dinner that wowed both me and my friend. Proof that sometimes, great things come from impulsive gourmet shopping and questionable lunchtime decisions.
Here’s the recipe I made up, inspired by something I vaguely remembered:
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 lb thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into narrow strips
- 1 lb snap peas (give or take—this isn’t a lab experiment)
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cup chicken stock
- Fresh arugula – as much as you like
- Cherry tomatoes, halved (measure with your heart)
- 1 lb fresh tagliatelle (bonus points if it’s spinach and handmade and purchased during a moment of weakness)
- 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Zest of one large lemon
- 2 teaspoons dried basil (or fresh if you’re feeling fancy)
-
Step by Step Instructions
- Add the prosciutto and cook until it gets just crispy enough to feel gourmet, about 5–6 minutes.
- Toss in the snap peas and nutmeg. Sauté for about a minute—just enough to make everything mingle.
- Add the chicken stock and simmer until the peas are tender but still have a bit of sass, about 3 minutes.
- Stir in the cherry tomatoes and let them get warm and cozy, about 1 minute.
- Add the arugula and cook for another minute, or until it just starts to wilt like the rest of us by Friday.
- Meanwhile, boil your pasta in a big pot of salted water (don’t forget the salt!) for 1–3 minutes or until perfectly tender.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the mascarpone and lemon zest until creamy and beautiful. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Drain the pasta and toss it into a warm bowl. Pour the snap pea–prosciutto situation over the top and give it a gentle mix
- Finish with Parmesan, basil, and a knowing smile.In a large skillet, melt the butter and olive oil over medium heat.
-
Wine Pairing
Serve immediately with a glass of Vespa Bianco and a sense of accomplishment.
Voilà! An indulgent, not-exactly-healthy-but-who-cares Saturday night dinner. Born from a harmless lunch and a dangerously well-lit display of fresh pasta.🍷
Enjoy, and don’t forget to pour yourself another glass—you deserve it! 🍷
More Recipes
