Asparagus and Pea Pesto Pasta

 12 oz asparagus, cleaned and trimmed into 1 inch slices

1/2 Tbsp olive oil

3 oz prosciutto

1 1/2 cup peas, frozen or thawed

1 cup prepared pesto

2 tsp lemon zest

2 oz Parmesan cheese, grated

6 leaves fresh basil, torn

For the asparagus:

Cut asparagus into bite-size pieces, approximately each spear in thirds.  Spread on a baking sheet in an even layer.  Drizzle with olive oil and place pieces of prosciutto over the top.  Roast in the oven until the asparagus is crisp- tender and the prosciutto is crispy, 12-15 minutes.

 

For the pasta:

Once cooked, reserve 1 cup of the cooking water and drain the pasta.  Return to the stockpot and add the sauce and lemon zest.  Stir to combine, adding reserved cooking water 1 Tbsp at a time to achieve the desired texture.  Add prepared asparagus and prosciutto.  Top with fresh Parmesan and basil.

For the sauce:

While the pasta is cooking , prepare the sauce.  Warm the peas with the pasta or in a separate saucepan.  Cook the peas in boiling water for 1 minute.  Remove from water and combine with the pesto.  Blend the pesto an peas together using an immersion blender or countertop blender.