corn, shitake mushrooms and proscuitto pasta

This is a variation on a dinner Whitney and I have often.  Pasta with fresh-whatever.  It is usually birthed out of extra produce in our fridge and the desire for an easy dinner.  The basic recipe is chop veggies, saute and add pasta. And cheese.  I usually throw in a little mozzarella, goat cheese, or parmesan at the end for the gooey goodness factor.

Here are the ingredients I used to make this pasta, but it really lends itself to substituting ingredients.  Use zucchini or eggplant pieces instead of the mushrooms.  Fresh mint would be really good if you didn’t have basil.  You could also use sausage or bacon in place of the proscuitto.

Tear the French rolls into pieces and put them in a 300 degree F oven for 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and place the pieces in a food processor.  Chop until they become crumbs.

Lay the crumbs on a cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Bake at 300 degrees F for 15 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking.

Prepare the ingredients for the pasta — chop the proscuitto and mushroom caps, cut the kernels from the cob, julienne the basil, cut the mozzarella into strips, dice the tomatoes.

Saute the proscuitto in olive oil until it starts to brown.  Add the mushroom pieces and saute a few minutes longer until they are softened.

Remove the proscuitto and mushrooms from the pan and add a little more oil, the corn kernels and the dried red peppers.  Add salt and pepper and saute for 5-6 minutes.

Discard the red peppers and add the proscuitto and mushrooms back to the pan.  Also add the breadcrumbs, basil, tomatoes and mozzarella.  Stir to combine then add the pasta to the pan.  Add salt, pepper and olive oil and toss to coat.

Corn, Shitake Mushroom and Proscuitto Pasta

2 ears corn, kernels cut from cob
3 oz Shitake mushrooms (about 10 mushrooms), caps cut into pieces
4 dried red peppers
1/4 c grape tomatoes, diced
4 oz proscuitto, cut into small pieces
6 oz fresh mozzarella, cut into strips
6-8 fresh basil leaves, julienned
1-2 small French rolls
pasta

Bring a pot of water to boil.  Add pasta and cook according to package directions.  Strain and set aside.

Tear the French rolls into pieces and put them in a 300 degree F oven for 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and place the pieces in a food processor.  Chop until they become crumbs.  Lay the crumbs on a cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Bake at 300 degrees F for 15 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking.

Chop the proscuitto into small pieces and saute in olive oil until they start to brown.  Add the mushroom pieces and saute a few minutes longer until they are softened.  Remove the proscuitto and mushrooms from the pan and add a little more oil, the corn kernels and the dried red peppers.  Add salt and pepper and saute for 5-6 minutes.  Discard the red peppers and add the proscuitto and mushrooms back to the pan.  Also add the breadcrumbs, basil, tomatoes and mozzarella.  Stir to combine then add the pasta to the pan.  Add salt, pepper and olive oil and toss to coat.