Penne with Parmesan Cream and Prosciutto

Pasta. Parmesan cheese. Cream. Prosciutto. Four ingredients. [Ed. note: Can't get The Count from Sesame Street out of my head, "One, two, three, four ingredients heh heh heh."]

Make it vegetarian by omitting the prosciutto. Three ingredients. You're welcome.

An indulgent winter meal that reheats very well, I make it once a year for the BF and he goes clinically insane over it. [Ed. note: Do I need to concur? Folks, she doesn't lie.]

NOTES:

• Use good quality, salty parmesan.
• I halved the recipe and it served three people.
• Changes made include: upping the cream and parmesan a bit, crisping the prosciutto, and adding a touch of cayenne.
• This is not an alfredo. It will not be super saucy once baked. If you use good parmesan and season the sauce well, the pasta should look like a crispy, crunchy blanket, infused with flavor.

Adapted from: Gourmet, December 2006
Number of servings: 6 (main course) or 8 (side dish)

Ingredients

• 2 ¾ cups heavy whipping cream 
• 1 ¾ cups plus 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano parmesan cheese (4 ounces)
• 1 pound penne
• 2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped
• Pinch of cayenne (optional)

Directions

1. Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat to 375 °F.
2. Sauté chopped prosciutto in heavy saucepan and cook over moderate heat until lightly crisp (should not take long). Remove prosciutto and place on paper towel. Wipe pan clean with paper towel to remove grease.
   
3. Using the same saucepan, bring cream, 1 ¾ cups cheese, ¾ teaspoon black pepper, ¾ teaspoon salt and cayenne (if using) just to a boil, stirring occasionally. Taste it. It might need more salt. Remove from heat.
4. Cook pasta in a 6-8 quart pot of boiling salted water, until al dente [Ed. note: Who the bleep is Al Dente?], then drain in a colander. Return pasta to pot, stir in parmesan cream and prosciutto, tossing to coat. Transfer mixture to a 2-quart shallow flameproof gratin or baking dish (about 11 x 8 x 2 inches; not glass) and bake 15 minutes.
   
5. Stir pasta well to coat evenly with sauce, then sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons cheese.
6. Turn on broiler and broil pasta 4-5 inches from heat until top is lightly browned, 2-4 minutes.

PS: A year ago we stepped it up to four ingredients to satisfy the sweet tooth with this sumptuous café au lait pudding adapted from Ashley Rodriguez's Date Night In (www.moveablefeast.me/blog/cafe-au-lait-pudding).