Fresh Fettuccine & Prosciutto with Kale & Tomato Sauce

1

Prepare the ingredients:

Heat a medium pot of salted water to boiling on high. Remove and discard the paper linings between the slices of prosciutto. Stack the prosciutto and thinly slice crosswise. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Peel and roughly chop the garlic. Peel and thinly slice the shallot. Remove and discard the kale stems; roughly chop the leaves. Place the tomatoes in a bowl; gently break apart with your hands. Grate the Grana Padano cheese on the small side of a box grater.

2

Brown the prosciutto:

In a large pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the sliced prosciutto and cook, stirring frequently and breaking apart any clumps, 1 to 2 minutes, or until lightly browned and fragrant. Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.

3

Make the sauce:

Add the chopped garlic and sliced shallot to the pan of reserved fond. (If the pan seems dry, add a drizzle of olive oil.) Cook on medium-high, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until softened and fragrant. Add the chopped kale and as much of the red pepper flakes as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be. Cook, stirring occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes, or until the kale is slightly wilted. Add the tomatoes and 1/2 cup of water. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5 to 7 minutes, or until the kale has wilted and the sauce has thickened.

4

Cook the pasta:

While the sauce cooks, using your hands, carefully separate the strands of the pasta. Add to the pot of boiling water and cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until al dente (still slightly firm to the bite). Reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, drain thoroughly.

5

Finish the pasta & serve your dish:

Add the cooked pasta, browned prosciutto, and half the reserved pasta cooking water to the pan. Cook, stirring vigorously, 1 to 2 minutes, or until thoroughly coated. (If the sauce seems dry, gradually add the remaining pasta cooking water to achieve your desired consistency.) Turn off the heat. Stir in the mascarpone cheese; season with pepper to taste. Garnish the finished pasta with the grated Grana Padano cheese. Enjoy!