FETTUCINI WITH SAGE BUTTER AND PEAS (From Food Day Magazine) Serves 4
Return to menu	Next main dish recipe
(Variation made with egg noodles and very lean bacon) When sage is slowly browned in butter, it crisps, mellows and gives off a nutty and mouthwatering flavor. Sage butter makes a wonderful sauce on its own, but in this pasta dish it's tossed with sweet garden peas and accented with a bit of salty prosciutto. This dish is most successful when prepared with delicate fresh egg noodles, homemade if possible, but it's still worth preparing with good quality dried pasta. 6 quarts water 1 1/2 Tablespoon salt 1 1/2 cups fresh shelled garden peas, or 8 oz frozen peas 6 Tablespoon unsalted butter (3/4 stick) 1/2 cup small fresh sage leaves, or large sage leaves cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips 3 oz prosciutto, cut into thin strips (about 3/4 cup) 1 lb fresh fettucine or 12 oz dried 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Freshly ground black pepper Garnish: sage blossoms if available Fill a large (8-quart) pot with the water, add the salt, and bring it to a boil over high heat. Put the peas in a steamer basket and drop it into the water. Boil until the peas are bright green and crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Remove the basket to drain the peas and set them aside. If using frozen peas, cook just until warmed. Leave the water boiling for the pasta. Melt the butter in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-low heat. Add the sage leaves and cook, stirring often until the butter begins to brown slightly and the sage gives off a nutty, toasty aroma, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the prosciutto and cook for about 1 minute until it loses its rosy color. Add the peas and cook briefly to reheat. While you are preparing the sauce, add the pasta to the boiling water. Cook until tender but firm, 1 to 3 minutes for fresh pasta depending on the thickness, or 7 to 10 minutes for dried. Drain the noodles and add them to the skillet. Sprinkle with the cheese and a generous grinding of black pepper and toss with tongs or two wooden spoons. Serve right away in warmed bowls or plates and sprinkle with sage blossoms if available.