Want to be a Valentine Hero? Make This Stuff

With Valentine's Day coming up, some of you guys out there might be looking for some ideas that you can use to impress your sweetheart with your skills in the kitchen.  I am going to give you a secret weapon from my short list of sure fire pleasers. When you taste it, you are going to have a hard time believing that this recipe is so simple to make, and calls for so few ingredients.

For Sauce:
At Least 1/4 cup Locatelli Cheese - more if you like it
1 1/2 cups Heavy Cream
4 oz. Prosciutto di Parma Sliced 1/8th Inch Crossways
1 Bunch Fresh Asparagus, tough ends removed, and cut into 1 inch pieces
Freshly Ground Black Pepper to Taste

For Garnish:
A Few Sprigs of Italian Parsley (totally optional)

1 Box Penne Pasta

First, put some salted water on to boil for the pasta. Now, get to work sauteing the prosciutto in a teaspoon of butter until it begins to just get a little crispy, then pour in the heavy cream, grind in as much black pepper as you like, and stir up the browned bits that may be stuck to the pan. This will give the sauce a lovely color and flavor. When it begins to boil, lower the heat to a simmer and let it reduce, stirring often while you prepare the pasta.

Once the pasta water boils, put the pasta in at once. About 5 minutes before the pasta is done cooking, according to the instructions on the pasta box, stir the Locatelli Cheese in to the sauce and then put in the asparagus pieces and stir occasionally for the 4 or 5 minutes left until the pasta is done.  Strain the cooked pasta, place in a serving bowl and pour the sauce over it. Serve with more Locatelli and some Shiraz or a Cabernet Sauvignon. Feel free to take all the credit.