It was one of those days that I was flipping through my Instagram feed and saw a post from @EverythingErica and @EatTravelRock about a pasta recipe contest, sponsored by The Pasta Bowl, a restaurant specializing in classic Italian comfort food. So I told myself, why not just enter for the fun of it. Knowing my type A personality, (an attribute well known to chefs/pastry chefs), I started thinking of a pasta recipe that bought so much joy to the people I made it for. It’s an incredibly rich Angel Hair Pasta with Prosciutto Cream Sauce that I would only allow myself to make once a year since it is known as a “Heart Attack on a Plate”.
Upon revisiting this recipe, I had a light-bulb moment and thought of a great twist that would make it even better. I added toasted lemon breadcrumbs for extra crunch and zest. I bought all the ingredients for the recipe and started to cook from the heart as I always do. I believe that when you cook with the right intention, you will always end up with a great result. I snapped a quick photo of the dish and submitted my entry. To my surprise, this special pasta that holds a lot of great memories for me, ended winning the contest! My winning dish was featured on The Pasta Bowl’s menu for a month. It was a wonderful experience that I will never forget!
Photo: @sherriesavorsthecity at The Pasta Bowl
Here’s the recipe so you can make my pasta in the comfort of your own home and bring joy to the people you make it for. There are a few steps to this dish but trust me when I say that it’s worth the time and effort.
Warning: This pasta is highly addictive. You may get a few marriage proposals so feed cautiously.
Photo by @sherriesavorsthecity
- For the Oven-Roasted Grape Tomatoes:
- 1 pint grape tomatoes, cut in halves
- 2 Tablespoon Academia Barilla 100% Organic brand Extra Virgin olive oil
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasonings
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- For the Lemon Breadcrumbs:
- 3 Tablespoon butter
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 2 whole lemons, zest only (save the juice for later)
- For the Killer Cream Sauce:
- 3 Tablespoon Academia Barilla 100% Organic brand Extra Virgin olive oil
- 10 ounces thinly shaved prosciutto, cut into strips
- 4 garlic cloves, sliced thinly
- 4 shallots, sliced thinly
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 3 Tablespoon Goya brand tomato paste
- 4 cups heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ cup fresh basil, chiffonade
- 10 ounces frozen peas, defrosted
- 2 Tablespoon freshly grated parmesan cheese
- juice of 1-2 lemons
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 2 Tablespoon butter
- 1 pound dried De Cecco brand Angel Hair Pasta, cook according to manufacturer’s directions or until al dente
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Lay all the grape tomato halves with the cut side up.
- Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.
- Season with salt, pepper, thyme leaves and Italian seasonings.
- Bake for 40 minutes to an hour until the tomatoes are slightly charred around the edges and shriveled up a bit.
- Set aside to cool.
- Heat a small saute pan over medium heat.
- Add the butter and let it completely melt.
- Add the breadcrumbs and stir constantly until it turns into an even golden brown color all over.
- Take it off the heat and transfer to a small bowl.
- Season with salt, pepper, chopped parsley and lemon zest.
- Set aside to cool.
- In a large nonstick pan over med-high heat.
- Add the extra virgin olive oil and the prosciutto strips. Let it caramelized all over while stirring constantly to prevent burning. This step is essential for flavor development.
- Add your shallots and let it soften up a bit before adding the garlic.
- Saute until fragrant.
- Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
- Gently pour all the white wine to deglaze it.
- Reduce the mixture by half. Then, add the heavy cream. As soon as it starts to boil, reduce it to a simmer. Let it thicken up until it coats the back of a wooden spoon or mixture is reduced by a third.
- Add the red pepper flakes, frozen peas, roasted grape tomatoes, parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and lemon juice. Let it all cook together for 1-2 minutes.
- Lastly, finish off the sauce with butter and fresh basil.
- Turn the heat off and stir until everything is combine.
- Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
- Toss the cooked pasta with the finished sauce.
- Pour over a large serving bowl.
- Top with the lemon breadcrumbs.
- Serve immediately.
Mangiamo! (“Let’s eat” in Italian)
Savor Every Moment,
Sherrie
I would love to win the dinner for four to the pasta bowl! Pasta is one of my all time favorite foods. I would take my boyfriend, my mom and my step father. My mom is a foodie like me and I love dining out with family. There’s something so special and comforting about eating pasta with the ones you love. I would love to win this as well, because I’m about 8 months pregnant and I’ve been dying to visit the city and have a fun date night! Needing to get out of my house and the burbs for a nice night out on the town! I can’t wait to make this recipe.
That looks so yummy and I wanna try making it. But- I’d like to eat there and eat for four people by myself. But they might not be healthy, so I’ll probably just invite another couple for a double date… Haha.
Enjoy!
I would want to take my husband and some friends. I could take them because after reading this recipe I feel like I would be ambarassed about how quickly I could eat this fab food and they would not judge. Thanks!!
This looks fantastic! My new pasta obsession has been adding lemon to all of my classic pasta dishes! I love trying new restaurants and have never been to The Pasta Bowl. I would take my husband and two best friends!
Hi Sherrie, I would love to win this giveaway and take my amazing husband and two foodie friends that got me into following you. I’m in the last final stretch of my first pregnancy and we have not had a real date in almost 8 months! It would be so nice and I’m sure very delicious to win this contest! This recipe looks so incredible and win or loose we will be trying this Very soon!
Aw, I hope you get to try it for yourself. I want to hear your feedback.
Thank you for your sweet comments. I really appreciate your support.
Xoxo, Sherrie
I would take my roommates for a girl’s night! We’re only a month into the school year, and between school, work, and internships, we already never see each other. We talk all the time about having a roomie night to cook and catch up, but going out (for free) would be just as lovely, if not more!
Hi ladies!
Can’t get enough of your insta-suggestions, and of course this blog is beautiful, I’m glad to have finally subscribed! As a proud Italian woman I feel a special connection to pasta in all forms, this zesty dish is no exception. I would take my boyfriend and our two friends to the Pasta Bowl, because I know they all have healthy appetites like me and love to try new things. Either way I’ve added this recipe to my list of “must attempst” along with Sherrie’s fudgy brownies.
Happy Sunday all! 🙂
Pasta is one of my all time favorite things to eat. It’s quick and easy and can have so many different modifications to it. You can change it up in so many different ways. Every pasta dish has its own unique flavor and touch. Sometimes the simplest pasta dish can be the best pasta dish you have ever talked because how of it was made and the love and attention it was given. If I win this giveaway, I would take my boyfriend and my boyfriends parents to dinner because I recently just met them and would love to take them out to get to them better 🙂
ahh! ive been loving all the posts you guys have shared and cannot wait to try this recipe out for myself! i would take my friends because pasta is meant to share! i find comfort in sharing food with my friends and pasta is comfort food for the soul!
Would love to take my friends and have an amazing GNO and chat the night away while eating delicious food!!! Always looking for a great pasta place so I can take my kids their friends and parents and be known as the “cool mom” that knows all the yummy places to eat 🙂 Also will be trying sherries pasta recipe since my daughter loves noodles like her mommy!
Congrats on the new blog, Sherrie! I just subscribed and would love to win the giveaway to The Pasta Bowl. I’m Bridget’s mom and saw that she said she’d take me there if she wins! So I’ll reciprocate and say that if I win, I’ll take my hubby, Bridget, and her boyfriend Mike. Hope I win! I love your blog and will be an avid reader of it!
Thank you so much! I hope you guys will enjoy the Pasta Bowl as much as I do.
I would take my fiancé, my best friend in the city, and my best friend from home who will be visiting me next week! It would be perfect timing–new friends meeting old friends over a fabulous dinner 🙂 and if I don’t win the contest, I’ll just have to make them all the recipe! 🙂
Congratulations to Bridget Bledsoe for winning the Pasta Bowl dinner for 4. Thank you everyone for participating in the contest. I enjoyed reading all your comments. Hope you guys are able to try my special pasta recipe. I cannot wait to hear all your feedback! 😊😊😊