# Pesto Pasta with Prosciutto & Rocket - Super Easy, Super Delicious Recipe



## familymealsblog (Sep 25, 2011)

[h2]I cook this colorful, simple recipe at least every few weeks. Give it a try and let me know what you think:[/h2][h2] [/h2][h2]*Pesto Pasta with Prosciutto & Rocket*[/h2]
*Ingredients (Serves 4)*

Couple of handfuls of washed baby rocket (or baby spinach)
6 slices of prosciutto, roughly torn into matchbox size pieces
300g of fusilli pasta (or any other short pasta)
1 punnet of cherry tomatoes halved
3 tbsp of store bought pesto sauce
2 tbsp of pine nuts
Parmesan cheese to serve
*Instructions*

Cook pasta according to the directions.
Meanwhile, spray a large saucepan with oil spray and cook the pine nuts on medium heat, stirring often until they are lightly browned (about 5 minutes).
Set aside and cook the prosciutto in the same pan with some more olive oil spray for 2-3 minutes until crisp.
Drain the pasta when cooked and add to the pan with the prosciutto then stir in the pesto sauce, rocket/spinach, pine nuts, cherry tomatoes and pine nuts until well combined.
Serve with shaved parmesan cheese and season with salt to taste.
*Cooking tips*

Prepare ahead tasks: Chop the prosciutto and cherry tomatoes in advance plus toast the pine nuts and keep in an air tight container
Ask the delicatessen at your local supermarket to shred a piece of parmesan cheese for you. I find I use much less parmesan when it's shredded which is much better on my wallet and on my waistline!
I usually buy a few extra slices of prosciutto as it is scrumptious added to many of your family meals. For example lightly fried then stirred through a side salad or we love to eat it fresh on its own (rolled up) as an appetizer for a pre-dinner treat
Last time I made this dish I didn't have spinach on hand so I chopped 2 handfuls of snow peas (sugar snap peas) in half and added it to boiling pasta water for the last 2 minutes of pasta cooking. I stirred it through in replacement of the spinach and it was delicious. It gave a nice soft crunch and lots of color to the dish. I personally prefer spinach or rocket however my husband loved the snow pea version … Guess we will have to take turns from now on : )


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## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

Now all the reader has to know is how to make Pesto Sauce and when to add it???


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## chrisbelgium (Oct 2, 2010)

I like the recipe without the pesto, a nice combo of prosciutto, pine nuts, ruccola or rocket and cherry tomatoes and parmezan. A small dash of the pasta's cooking water in the sauce and you have indeed a lovely dish.

Nothing wrong though when adding pesto, but imo pesto is not necessary at all in this dish.

Personally, I prefer "pasta pesto" as it sounds; pasta, pesto and nothing else. I make this variation with ruccola (rocket) and pecans, or better yet, with walnuts. Posted a recipe and picture in the first post of this thread; http://www.cheftalk.com/t/62497/lets-make-pesto-americano

What kind of pesto do you use normally in this dish?


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## familymealsblog (Sep 25, 2011)

Hi There. I have updated the recipe now, thanks for bringing that to my attention. The pesto sauce is stirred in at step 4. Call me a cheat but I use a terrific store bought basil pesto sauce in a jar. I have a similar recipe that has red chili with spaghetti too which is a lovely light dish.


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## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

Nothing wrong with some of the already made ones, I have had some good ones.. The cheaper ones usually use low grade cheese, dehydrated garlic, cheap oil that has aftertaste , and any kind of nuts they can buy.


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## shnooky (Oct 11, 2011)

The low grade ones don't taste as good though, you only get the distinct flavors and tastes out of the quality ingredients. I also prefer this without the pesto, but what kind of pesto, if I were to add it, would you recommend?


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