- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings
Angel Hair (Capellini) Pasta Westphalia isn’t a complicated romantic meal. A rather simple recipe, the melding of the flavors brings a romantic je ne sais quoi.
Contents
Both the German Westphalian variety and Parma Italian prosciutto versions of cured ham are good here.
You could even use the Spanish snow-cured ham from the Pyrenees Mountains, but it is much more rare to find in North America. All three of these European ham varieties are hard-cured, very salty, nicely rich, and smokey.
Ouzo, the delicious, heady, anise-flavored Greek aperitif, adds a touch of exoticity to this pasta dish. If possible, select Greek, Bulgarian, or French feta from a Mediterranean shop.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces of angel hair pasta
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of butter
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 4 cloves of garlic, roasted
- 1/4 pound thinly sliced prosciutto or Westphalia ham, sliced into strips.
- 2 fresh, coarsely chopped vine tomatoes
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 6 leaves of fresh basil, chopped
- 1 teaspoon ouzo
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta.
- salt to taste, if necessary.
Instructions
- In a medium sauce pan, melt butter and oil. Add the shallot, and sauté until soft and golden. DO NOT ADD SALT, as ham saltiness varies. Add garlic and Westphalia ham, and sauté for 2 minutes.
- Add tomatoes, and sauté until a thick roux is made. Add white wine and stir until uniform. Reduce heat and simmer for ten minutes. Add salt, if necessary, at this time.
- Boil pasta according to directions. Drain and set aside without rinsing.
Remove the sauce from the heat. - To the sauce, add basil, ouzo, and parsley. Allow for one minute while the pasta drains. Remove 1/3 of the sauce from a cup. Add pasta and feta to 2/3 of the sauce mixture, and toss well.
- Heap the remaining sauce onto the pasta and serve immediately. Even for cheese lovers, try this without any additional cheese, except for the feta, before you add parmesan reggiano or any other cheese. The flavor is so rich on its own.
Bon Appetetito!
