Rush-Rush-Rush. Seems I am always in a rush (like many), but last night felt especially ridiculous. I arrived home at 5:50pm, with 8 people arriving for a 6pm dinner. The group needed to leave my house at 7:30pm to get to a concert at the college just down the street, so there was no room for a late or lingering supper.
Speed was of the essence!
I devised the recipe as I raced like a hormonally charged teenage boy through our sleepy town’s autumn streets; planning then, reworking the ingredient list as time collapsed.
At first pass, dinner was to be a Mexican extravaganza (!!), then as the minutes melted from the clock, it turned to pasta with fresh artichokes. I squealed into a parking spot at the grocery store at 5:30pm resolving to use frozen artichoke hearts rather than fresh. In truth, frozen artichoke hearts are a little known, but excellent product. Not quite as good as fresh, but way better than canned.
Country ham is like southern prosciutto. Okay, not quite as delicate or complex as
prosciutto in northern Italy, but really tasty and useful and stubbornly only found in southern states. It’s shelf stable (needs no refrigeration) so can be easily ordered online and shipped anywhere in the U.S.. Or, make this dish vegetarian by omitting the ham.
Serves 10 (easily halved)
24 oz rigatoni pasta
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (evoo)
12 oz. country ham, sliced into slivers (or substitute prosciutto)
3 thin leeks, white and light green parts only, chopped and washed
2 ripe tomatoes, seeds and goo squeezed out, flesh roughly chopped
1/4 cup dry white wine
More evoo
Two 9 oz packages frozen artichoke hearts, zap on a plate for 2 minutes in microwave to defrost
Sea salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup fresh (homemade) croutons or breadcrumbs
1) Place a huge pot of salted water on to boil. Have everything chopped and ready to go (including the art hearts defrosted), then place the pasta in to boil and start sauce.
2) Pour the evoo into a large pot and set over medium high heat. When the oil is quivering, add in the ham slivers. Sauté for just two minutes, then add in the leeks and sauté until soft. Add in the tomatoes, stir, turn down the heat to medium and cover. Cook for several minutes, then add in wine and bring to a strong simmer, cook for a few minutes, then add in artichoke hearts and another good glug of evoo. Bring back to a simmer. Scoop out 2 ladles of pasta cooking water and add to the sauce then, season with salt and cayenne pepper. Drain the pasta.
3) Add the pasta directly into the sauce pot (or pour everything into a large serving bowl), drizzle over more evoo and toss in the cheese. Taste and adjust seasoning. Scatter breadcrumbs across the top and serve at once.