This is a paid post that has been sponsored by Fresh Wines. They provided me with a lovely case of VQA wine to try and to use in the development of this recipe.
When summer finally comes I want to get out on those lovely restaurant patios and order a glass of chilled white wine to accompany some delicious summer menu item. The reality of having three little kids is that this seldom, ahem, I mean never happens.
Instead of paying through the nose for a babysitter we sometimes feed the little ones an early dinner and get them into bed. They can’t tell time so we have been known to tell them it is bedtime at 6:30. Our older son is no fool so we can’t pull a parental fast one on him. He is happy enough to have a little extra time watching Netflix without his little brother pestering him when my husband and I want an adults only dinner.
With the baby happily tucked into bed and asleep, the toddler yammering away in his room but content, I crack on with making our own patio night meal complete with that cold glass of white wine.
There are six wines in the Fresh Wines line-up. Two are sparkling, three white wines, and one red. The white wine I chose to use for this recipe was their Fresh Opportunities: Riesling Gewürztraminer. I often drink pinot grigio so this is on the sweeter side of whites than I usually drink. It went great with the sweet fresh peas and pea shoots that I used in the recipe. A bonus is that my husband really likes rieslings so he was really happy to see that served. I’m usually the one who picks the wine and I stick to old habits. It was nice to change it up a little bit.
I suppose you could call this a date night in meal but it needn’t have such a formal label put on it. If the weather is good and the kids seem like they won’t really spoil the night with one of those moods where they won’t go to bed, then grab the chance to give yourself an evening meal on the back patio full of wine and conversation that isn’t peppered with you yelling at anyone to sit properly on their bum and to not lick their knife. Now and then it is really lovely to have dinner without the little ones, so sneak in every opportunity to reconnect with your partner whenever you can.
Linguine with Prosciutto and Pea Shoots
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive
- 4 slices prosciutto
- 1 clove of garlic minced
- 1/2 cup white wine such as Fresh Wines Riesling Gewürztraminer
- pinch of salt and pepper
- 1/2 fresh peas
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
- 100 grams fresh pea shoots
- 350 grams fresh linguine
- 70 grams goat cheese crumbled
Instructions
- Set a large pot of salted water on to boil.
- Cut prosciutto into bite size pieces. In a large non-stick pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the prosciutto and sautee it until it is crispy.
- Start cooking the pasta. If using fresh linguine (usually found near the deli section of the grocery store) it will only take 3-4 minutes to cook.
- Add the minced garlic and stir it around for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Pour in the white wine and reduce the heat.
- Add the fresh peas, fresh Parmesan and a good pinch of salt and pepper.
- When the pasta is cooked, take out 1/2 cup of pasta water and reserve it. Drain the pasta and add it to the pan with the peas and prosciutto.
- Add the pea shoots and toss it all together. Have a taste to see if any more salt is needed and add according to your tastes. It may need a little pasta water to loosen it up if the pasta is sticking to itself. Don't add too much or it will be watery.
- Put the pasta on a large serving platter and top with goat cheese. Serve with more fresh Parmesan if desired.
Looks simple but delicious! can’t wait to try it