Black Pepper and Asparagus Pasta Salad

After quick a few cookie recipes I think it’s time to post something a little healthier!  I made this quick salad the other day for lunch and it was so fresh and delicious I just knew I had to post about it.  The crunchy asparagus and prosciutto go great with the pasta.  The dressing is awesome – a zesty mix of mayo and citrus.   This salad was exactly what I needed after days upon days of Christmas cookie baking.

The combination of lemon zest and fresh parsley make the dressing of this salad have a bright and zesty flavor.  While I love pasta salad I generally avoid them because they are often heavy and filled with too much mayo and not enough taste.  That is definitely not the case with this salad which packs a ton of flavor.

If you aren’t really a fan of prosciutto or you can’t find it in your store you can substitute bacon in its place.  Though I really loved the prosciutto on this salad – after quickly pan frying it you are left with super crunch thin pieces that provide a punch of flavor.  Pan frying the prosciutto is a lot easier than I thought it would be and only takes a minute or two – as it is not as fatty as bacon you don’t end up with a bunch of grease to deal with.

My favorite part of this salad is the asparagus.  You want it to be bright green and slightly crunchy.  To keep that color and texture the asparagus is blanched or just a few minutes.  Blanching is a simple way to cook veggies for salads.  Generally its done when you want to cook the veggies a little bit but keep them nice and crunchy – kind of like the al dente of veggies.

Asparagus and Prosciutto Pasta Salad Recipe

yields 4 servings

Directons

8 oz pasta, cooked according to directions on package
1 lbs fresh asparagus
1 t. olive oil
2 oz. prosciutto, chopped into small pieces
1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/3 cup mayo
1 small lemon (both the juice and the zest)
1 T. fresh parsley, chopped,
1 t. black pepper

Directions

1) Heat the oil in a small pan over medium-high heat.  Add the prosciutto and sautee, stirring occassionally, until the prosciutto is crispy.  Set aside to cool.

2) Place about 2 inches of water in a large frying pan over high heat.  Season the water with 1/2 t. salt and bring to a boil.  Add the asparagus and cook 2-3 minutes or until just slightly softened.  Remove from heat, drain, and rinse with very cold water to stop the cooking.  Set aside.

3) In a large mixing bowl combine the may, juice from the lemon, zest from the lemon, parsley, and pepper.  Mix well.  Add in the pasta, red onion, and asparagus.  Stir well and sprinkle with the prosciutto.  Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.