Penne with Prosciutto and Goat Cheese

Penne with Prosciutto and Goat Cheese

If you saw my last video then you’re probably expecting this post.  In that video I made prosciutto wrapped stuffed dates for a Super Bowl party.  The problem is that the dates in that video weren't actually the ones served at the party.  Video production takes time.  And I made those stuffed dates at least a week before the Super Bowl so I had plenty leftovers to work with.  

Rather than eating all those leftovers as-is, I found myself trying to come up with creative ways to enjoy them for lunch.  The first day I threw a bunch on a beautiful salad with mixed bitter greens.  The second day I simply toasted an Udi’s bagel and sandwiched in about 3 or 4 of those little beauties with a drizzle of honey.  But on the third day things got even more out of hand.  And when I say “out of hand” I’m referring to the caloric disaster this luxurious lunch turned out to be.  And alter I'd been so diligent in my attempts to try to adopt a healthier eating plan since the debauchery of the holidays.  Anne bows her head in shame.

This penne with prosciutto is bathed in heavy cream, butter, goat cheese and walnuts with a piquant bite from the cracked black pepper.  It's a delicious delight with deleterious effects on my diet.  Oh well, there’s always tomorrow to get back on track.            

Penne with Prosciutto Goat Cheese and Dates

Prep time: 5 min

Cook time: 10 min

Ingredients

• 3–4 leftover prosciutto wrapped stuffed dates
• 1 tbsp butter
• ½ cup half and half or heavy cream
• 3 oz penne
• ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper corns
• salt

Video Tutorial

Instructions

1. Deconstruct about 3 or 4 of the prosciutto wrapped stuffed dates by unwrapping the prosciutto then chopping it into bite sized pieces.  
2. On another plate chop up the dates that were stuffed with soft goat cheese and walnuts.
3. Put a pot of water on to boil and once it reaches that boil, drop in some salt and about 3 ounces of penne.
4. In a medium skillet add 1 tablespoon of butter then toss in the chopped prosciutto and sauté it for about 2 minutes or until it’s crispy then remove it from the pan. 
5. Add the chopped dates and goat cheese then add about ½ cup of half and half or cream and stir continuously until the cheese melts. 
6. Add the cooked pasta and toss in about half the crispy prosciutto and stir until it’s all combined. 
7. When you plate the dish add some coarse cracked black pepper and the rest of the crispy prosciutto and serve.

Notes:                                                                                                                         

The dates were wrapped in prosciutto and stuffed with dates and walnuts.  The video can be found here.