Walnuts, Ham, And Cheese...oh, My!

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• salt
• 1 lb bow tie pasta
• 1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 10 slices canadian bacon, cut into thin strips (may use breakfast ham)
• 2 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 lemon, juice of
• 3/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese, plus some to pass at the table

Recipe

• 1 place a large covered pot of water over high heat; bring to a boil for the pasta.
• 2 once the water boils, salt it and cook the pasta to al dente.
• 3 right before draining the pasta, remove 1 cup pasta cooking water and reserve.
• 4 place a large skillet over med-high heat; add in chopped walnuts, and toast them, stirring occasionally, until they are golden and smell toasty, a couple of minutes.
• 5 remove the nuts from the skillet and reserve.
• 6 when the pasta is nearly done, return the skillet you cooked the walnuts in to the stovetop over med-high heat with the olive oil.
• 7 once the oil is hot, add the canadian bacon and cook it for 2-3 minutes or until it starts to lightly brown.
• 8 add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for another minute.
• 9 add the reserved pasta cooking water and cook it until the liquid has reduced by half.
• 10 add the drained pasta, toasted walnuts, lemon juice, and parsley to the skillet; toss it to coat the noodles, and continue to cook until the pasta has soaked up almost all of the liquid.
• 11 turn the heat off, add the butter and grated cheese, and toss until the butter has melted.
• 12 serve with extra parmigiano to pass at the table.