Ingredients
- 1/2 pound fresh egg pasta dough
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 8 ounces prosciutto, sliced very thin
- 4 ounces Asiago cheese, shredded
- 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil leaves for plating (optional)
Preparation
Step 1
To roll and cook the dough:
Roll the pasta dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut the dough into 8 strips,
4-inches wide x 8-inches long. Cook the pasta strips 2 or 3 at a time in boiling salted water for 10-15 seconds. Transfer the cooked pasta to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Then place the cooled strips on a towel and repeat with the remaining strips.
To make the sauce:
Put butter and cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a simmer and reduce the sauce a bit, about 2-3 minutes. Add the tomato paste and the nutmeg; stir to incorporate. Continue cooking the sauce until it is the consistency of buttermilk, about 2 minutes. Spread half of the sauce in a shallow baking dish that is about 8 x 10-inches. Set the remainder of the sauce aside.
To form the pasta roses:
On each pasta strip, place a slice of prosciutto. Cut the prosciutto to fit; it should not overlap the edges of the pasta. Sprinkle each strip with some of the shredded Asiago cheese. Roll up the pasta like a jelly roll, starting from the short side of the strip. Cut the strips into 2 or 3 pieces that are about 2-inches high. With a paring knife make an X cut about 1/2-inch deep into one side of each piece. These cuts will help the roses "bloom."
Preheat the oven to 450. Put the roses in the baking dish with the cross cuts face up. Press down a bit on the roses to help them open slightly. Use a pastry brush to brush the remaining sauce over the roses. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until a light brown crust forms on top. Remove from the oven; let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Place 2 or 3 pasta roses on individual serving plates. Tuck in a few basil leaves as a garnish