Bottom-Friendly Pea & Prosciutto Pasta

Fill a large stockpot about 3/4 full with water and set it over high heat until it comes to a vigorous boil.

Once the water is boiling, generously salt it to achieve a flavor akin to ocean water. Then, introduce the peas into the boiling water. Cook until the peas turn a vibrant green, which should take approximately 2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon or a spider strainer to remove the peas from the boiling water.

Bring the water back to a rolling boil, add more salt if necessary, and carefully introduce the spinach. Cook until the spinach becomes bright green, which should take about 1 minute. Use a slotted spoon or a spider strainer to remove the spinach from the boiling water.

Once again, bring the water back to a vigorous boil, and, if needed, season it with more salt. Proceed to cook the pasta noodles according to the instructions on the package until they reach al dente consistency. Reserve 1-2 cups of pasta water before straining.

To a blender, add the peas, spinach, basil leaves, 1 tsp salt, grated parmesan, lemon juice, and a splash of pasta water. Blend until smooth. Add more pasta water as necessary.

Loosely wrap a slice of prosciutto in a paper towel and microwave it at full power for 30-40 seconds. Allow it to sit at room temperature to complete the crisping process. If further crispiness is desired, microwave in additional 5-10 second intervals as needed. Repeat this procedure for each remaining slice of prosciutto. (NOTE: Alternatively, you can use an air fryer, toaster oven, broiler, or conventional oven).

Toss the pasta with the sauce and more pasta water as needed. Top the pasta with more parmesan, lemon zest, and crumbled crispy prosciutto. Bottoms up!