20-minute Farfalle Pasta With Prosciutto, Broccoli And Ricotta
A light and fresh tasting simple farfalle pasta recipe with broccoli, prosciutto, and fresh basil. Made with a very simple lemon ricotta sauce, this is a crowd pleaser, it's perfect for spring or summer (or any time of year), and it's on the table in just 20 minutes. It makes a great midweek family meal, but it's equally as good for easy entertaining!
Cook your pasta according to the cooking ingredients.
4½ ounces pasta
Meanwhile, pan fry broccoli in a wok or large frying pan for 3 or 4 minutes until lightly browned and slightly tender. Turn off the heat.
7 ounces broccoli
Drain the pasta and reserve some of the water. Add the pasta to the broccoli in the pan along with the prosciutto, ricotta, the lemon zest and juice, and most of the parmesan and basil. Stir well.
1 lemon, ½ cup parmesan cheese, ½ cup ricotta cheese, 1 bunch fresh basil
Add a little of the cooking water you reserved to loosen up the sauce and grind in some black pepper to taste. Then heat and stir for about 30 seconds or until the pasta has warmed through again.
freshly ground black pepper
Serve immediately. Top with the rest of the parmesan and basil.
Video
Notes
What pasta to use
I like farfalle (bow tie pasta), but no rules here! Great alternatives that are similar to farfalle include fusilli, rotini, or penne. Otherwise, use your favorite, or just what you have ;-)
What if I don't like broccoli?
No worries. Use another quick-cooking green vegetable such as asparagus (this works particularly well if asparagus happens to be in season), frozen peas, chopped courgette/zucchini, green beans, spinach or snow peas/mange tout.You can also add more vegetables if you like such as peppers, mushrooms or cherry tomatoes.
Can't I just use ham instead of prosciutto?
Yep! Jamon serrano (Spanish cured meat that's similar to prosciutto), bacon, pancetta or even smoked salmon are other great alternatives.
Don't forget...
When you drain the pasta, pop a jug under the colander to catch some of the starchy cooking water. Adding this to the sauce to loosen it up will make all the difference!
There are more than 2 people in my house!
If you need dinner for 3, 4 or 5 just double the recipe. Any leftovers can be enjoyed the next day (see below).
Can I reheat the leftovers?
Yes you can, but go easy. Heat gently with a little extra water or milk. The leftovers happen to be quite nice cold, too, so you could transform them into a school or work lunch very easily.