Big Joe’s Asparagus, Prosciutto and Smoked Mozzarella Spaghetti

One of my favorite restaurants makes a similar dish to this one. It's very light but also very tasty. The flavor of smoked mozzarella really adds an earthy flavor to this dish. I came up with my own version and I love making it this time of year when asparagus is in season.

It took me a while to get the asparagus right so don’t overcook them. I like them with a nice crunch to them. I’ve tried this dish with angel hair pasta, too but it didn’t hold up as well as the spaghetti.

Ingredients:

2 ½ pounds of asparagus (snapped at base of freshness and sliced on a skew)
1 pound of spaghetti (I like Barilla)
1/3 cup of olive oil
½ pound of smoked mozzarella cheese, diced
½ pound of thinly sliced prosciutto, sliced in strips
½ pound of cherry tomatoes, halved
5 cloves of garlic
½ cup of basil
2 teaspoons of oregano

How to put it together:

Cook spaghetti in boiling salted water until al dente.

In a large heavy skillet add 2 tablespoons of oil. Sauté asparagus and tomatoes for about 2 minutes, add garlic and remaining oil. Over medium heat add salt, pepper and oregano. Cook for another 2 minutes or until oil becomes garlic fragrant.

Add cooked pasta, prosciutto, smoked mozzarella, and basil. Toss all so that pasta is well coated and then season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.