Recipe Background
Break out the sweaters, the newly colored leaves, and your sense of whimsy! Fall Lovin' Pasta is a celebration of autumn flavors wrapped up in a cozy pasta dish. Sweet figs and savory prosciutto come together to create a lovely, light sauce with a little spice to tie it all together. Topped with the crunch of toasted pine nuts and Pecorino Romano cheese, this Fall Lovin' Pasta is an elegant yet comforting dish that'll have you "falling" (sorry for the pun) in love with every bite. Autumn has never tasted better!
Break out the sweaters, the newly colored leaves, and your sense of whimsy! Fall Lovin' Pasta is a celebration of autumn flavors wrapped up in a cozy pasta dish. Sweet figs and savory prosciutto come together to create a lovely, light sauce with a little spice to tie it all together. Topped with the crunch of toasted pine nuts and Pecorino Romano cheese, this Fall Lovin' Pasta is an elegant yet comforting dish that'll have you "falling" (sorry for the pun) in love with every bite. Autumn has never tasted better!
Ingredients
- 8 slices prosciutto divided
- 1 (16-ounce) box spaghetti
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup onions finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 8 fresh figs chopped
- 1/3 cup parsley chopped
- 1/3 cup pine nuts optional, lightly toasted, for topping
- Pecorino Romano cheese to taste, grated, for topping
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- On a baking sheet, place 2 slices of the prosciutto and roast until they are crispy, about 7 minutes.
- Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack and let the roasted prosciutto cool to room temperature.
- Crumble the cooled prosciutto into small pieces. Set the prosciutto pieces aside.
- Roll the remaining prosciutto slices up lengthwise, then cut them into thin strips. Set the prosciutto strips aside.
- In a large pot of salted, boiling water, add the spaghetti and cook it to al dente, according to the package directions.
- Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water, then drain the remainder.
- Return the cooked spaghetti to the pot.
- While the spaghetti is cooking, in a small pot over medium heat, add the oil and heat until it is lightly smoking.
- Add the onions to the hot oil and cook, while stirring, until they are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, the reserved prosciutto strips, the black pepper, and the chili flakes to the onions and cook, while stirring frequently, until the prosciutto strips start to brown about 4 minutes.
- Add the figs to the prosciutto mixture and gently stir to combine.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook the prosciutto mixture until the figs begin to break down slightly, about 4 minutes.
- Pour the fig mixture over the cooked spaghetti in the pot.
- Place the pot over medium-high heat and add the reserved pasta water, a little at a time, to form a smooth sauce. You may not need all of the reserved pasta water.
- Cook the pasta mixture, while stirring constantly, until the spaghetti is lightly coated and heated through.
- Add the parsley to the spaghetti mixture and toss to combine.
- Serve the spaghetti mixture sprinkled with the pine nuts, the cheese, and the reserved prosciutto pieces.
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