Pasta with Lemon Cream and Prosciutto

My husband will pretty much tell me anything I make for dinner is good. He always has a healthy appetite, so he eats second helpings almost every night. However, I know dinner's really good when he tells me how good it is multiple times. Tonight's meal was one of those times. The mixture of the lemon with cream took the dish to another level.

I made a few substitutions noted below for what I had in my fridge and pantry. I used green beans instead of peas because we had received so many green beans from our summer CSA that I blanched and froze them several bags. Now we're enjoying summer produce deep into autumn!


Pasta with Lemon Cream and Prosciutto
Adapted from Bon Appetit via epicurious

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter

1 medium onion, minced

1-1/2 cups low-salt chicken broth

1 cup whipping cream

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 cups frozen green beans, thawed

2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh parsley

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

16 ounces penne pasta

4 thin slices prosciutto

Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add broth. Simmer over medium-high heat until mixture is reduced to 1/2 cup, about 2 minutes. Add cream, lemon peel, and cayenne. Simmer until sauce thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Add beans; simmer just until heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in parsley and lemon juice. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain; return pasta to pot. Toss pasta with sauce to coat.

Divide pasta among plates or bowls. Cut prosciutto into strips and mix into pasta and serve.