Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Step 1: Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta and set it aside.
- Step 2: While the pasta is cooking (or just after draining), heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the thinly sliced prosciutto and the minced garlic. Cook for about 3 minutes, until the prosciutto is crisp and the garlic is fragrant and just starting to turn golden. Don't let the garlic burn!
- Step 3: Using a slotted spoon, carefully remove the crispy prosciutto and garlic from the skillet and set them aside on a plate.
- Step 4: Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the same skillet. Toss in your sliced zucchini, the fresh thyme, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini is tender and gets a little bit of browning on the edges.
- Step 5: Pour in the chicken stock and the heavy cream. Turn the heat up slightly and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Once it's bubbling, add the halved grape tomatoes and let them cook for 1–2 minutes in the liquid.
- Step 6: Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the shredded Parmesan cheese and the fresh sage leaves. Keep stirring gently until the cheese is completely melted and the sauce is thick and creamy. Taste the sauce and season it with salt and pepper to your liking. Remember the prosciutto is salty, so add salt cautiously at this stage.
- Step 7: Add the cooked pasta to the skillet with the creamy sauce. Stir everything together gently, making sure every piece of pasta and every zucchini slice is coated in that luscious sauce. Then, add the crispy prosciutto and garlic back into the skillet and give it one final gentle stir. This ensures the prosciutto stays as crispy as possible!
- Step 8: Serve immediately! Top your bowl with a little extra sprinkle of fresh Parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
Substitutions: Try yellow squash, mushrooms, spinach (stir in at the end), broccoli florets, or bell peppers. Replace prosciutto with crispy bacon or pancetta, or use cannellini beans or chickpeas for a vegetarian option (use vegetable stock). Any short pasta works well; long pasta like fettuccine or linguine would also be lovely. For dried herbs, use about ½ teaspoon dried thyme and ¼ teaspoon dried sage, added with the zucchini. Fresh basil stirred in at the end is also great. A pinch of red pepper flakes adds a nice little kick.
Tips for Success: Don't overcook pasta; cook just to al dente. Reserve about a cup of the starchy cooking water to loosen the sauce if it's too thick. Taste and season the sauce before adding the pasta. Cook prosciutto in batches if necessary to get it crispy. Fresh herbs make a noticeable difference.
Storage: Let the pasta cool completely before transferring to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for 2–3 days. Note that the prosciutto won't stay crispy. To reheat, gently warm in a skillet over low heat, adding a splash of milk or chicken stock if needed, or microwave.
Tips for Success: Don't overcook pasta; cook just to al dente. Reserve about a cup of the starchy cooking water to loosen the sauce if it's too thick. Taste and season the sauce before adding the pasta. Cook prosciutto in batches if necessary to get it crispy. Fresh herbs make a noticeable difference.
Storage: Let the pasta cool completely before transferring to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for 2–3 days. Note that the prosciutto won't stay crispy. To reheat, gently warm in a skillet over low heat, adding a splash of milk or chicken stock if needed, or microwave.