Roasted Broccoli and Prosciutto Pasta

Last weekend, I had to run errands in the home stores on M street in preparation for moving.  My sister and I were text-decorating: seeing things that were adorable and needed to be in the condo and texting pictures back and forth.  I was exhausted by the time I stumbled into the Dean and Deluca for a quick bite to eat overlooking the canal (the little things), huffing and puffing from the heat and the extra exertion required for my broken bike.  But boy did I perk up when I saw a chunk of prosciutto di parma for SIX BUCKS!

Elated, I knew I had to get this hunk into my freezer in order to get the delicious almost-melt-away thin prosciutto slices with a super sharp knife.  While the ham was chilling, I quickly roasted up some broccoli.  Yes, roasted!  Until a few months ago I had no idea this was even possible but the flavor is more pronounced.  Added bonus?  There is less of a smell the next day as compared to steamed or blanched broccoli, which normally puts me off to cooking for one with broccoli.  Just a little olive oil and 8-10 minutes in a super hot oven, it is a super easy way to jazz up the veg.  I even added a sprinkle of parmesan in the last 2 minutes of cooking for a little added flavor!

This whole dish can come together in under a half an hour, from turning the oven on to tossing the pasta.  Just some whole wheat noodles, olive oil and lemon juice, roasted broccoli, parmesan, and a few salty shavings from my prosciutto hunk (or a few thin slices of packaged prosciutto).  Simple and healthy with a touch of indulgence!

Roasted Broccoli and Prosciutto Pasta

1/2 lb of pasta (I used whole wheat)

12 oz of broccoli florets

1 tablespoon parmesan cheese (plus more for serving)

1 tablespoons thin sliced prosciutto di parma

juice of 1 lemon

1 + 1 tablespoon of olive oil, divided to coat the broccoli and the pasta

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 425 F.  Bring a large pot of water to boil for the pasta, salt it well.  While the pasta is cooking according to the directions, prepare the broccoli.  I used a bag of fresh broccoli florets, rinsing and trimming any large pieces so everything was as uniform as possible.  In a foil lined baking sheet, toss the broccoli in 1 tablespoon of olive oil to coat and season with salt and pepper.

Roast the broccoli at 425 F for about 6 minutes.  Pull out of the oven and toss with a tablespoon of parmesan cheese and roast for an additional 2 minutes.  While the broccoli is roasting, shave up your partially-frozen prosciutto with a very sharp knife.  Attempt to get the thinnest slices possible!

Drain the cooked pasta well and place in a large bowl.  Toss with the roasted broccoli, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and prosciutto.  Taste for seasoning and add any salt or pepper if necessary.  Serve up with a little extra parmesan and enjoy!