penne with parmesan cream and prosciutto

Borrowed from one of my favorite recipe sites - gourmet.com. Served this a few times for our family and once for a dinner party. My husband prefers white sauce over red, so he really likes this recipe. It's definitely rich and full of flavor, so I would recommend serving as a side dish and adding a meat and vegetable to round out the meal.

Penne with Parmesan Cream and Prosciutto
Gourmet | December 2006
photo courtesy of gourmet.com

Yield: Makes 6 (main course) or 8 (side dish) servings

2 1/4 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (3 ounces)
1 pound penne
2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, coarsely chopped

Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 375°F.

Bring cream, 1 1/2 cups cheese, 3/4 teaspoon black pepper, and 3/4 teaspoon salt just to a boil in a small heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.

Cook pasta in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water, until al dente, then drain in a colander. Return pasta to pot, then stir in parmesan cream and prosciutto, tossing to coat. Transfer mixture to a 2-quart shallow flameproof gratin or baking dish (about 11 by 8 by 2 inches; not glass) and bake 15 minutes.

Stir pasta well to coat evenly with sauce, then sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons cheese.

Turn on broiler and broil pasta 4 to 5 inches from heat until top is lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.