Prosciutto, Parmigiano, pepper and butter. It's carbonara without eggs or better yet, it's like pasta alla gricia but Alfredo decided to join the party.
Bring a pot of water to a boil. (Please read my tips in the post.)
In a large pan heated over medium to medium-high heat, add the butter, diced prosciutto and some freshly ground pepper and cook for a few minutes, until the prosciutto is brown and getting crispy. You can pull some out and reserve as topping later. If you're still waiting for the pasta, turn off the heat until you can continue.
When the pasta is just under al dente (the pasta should still have a medium-firm bite or roughly two minutes under prescribed cook time), use tongs to transfer to the pan with the butter and prosciutto. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add one cup of pasta water to the pan and stir the pasta continuously. The pasta water will thicken as you go. Depending on how underdone your pasta is, it may need two to three minutes to reach the al dente stage. Season with salt and more black pepper if you like. Add more pasta water in 1/4 cup increments as it's absorbed by the pasta. (If needed, you can cover the pan and turn the heat down to low while you wait.)
Once the pasta is al dente, cooked enough with just a little bite, turn off the heat. Wait about one minute to give the pan and pasta time to cool down a little. Add more pasta water, 1/4 - 1/2 cup and the grated cheese. Stir vigorously to distribute the cheese into the pasta and water as it melts. The sauce will thicken and get creamy. If you need to, add more pasta. For this dish, I usually use 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 cups pasta water. Season with more salt and pepper if you think it needs it. Serve immediately and top with reserved cooked prosciutto (if you set some aside), more cheese and/or lemon wedges.
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