Pasta in mascarpone sauce with Parma ham and basil

Ingredients for 3 servings:

• 250 g pasta
• 100 g Parma ham or bacon as a cheaper alternative
• 1 cup of mascarpone, 250 g each
• e.g. chili pepper(s)
• e.g. basil

Instructions

Working time approx. 5 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 15 minutes; Total time approx. 20 minutes

lightly through the chili pepper

First, boil the pasta water. Cut or tear the Parma ham or bacon into wide strips and fry in a pan without any fat. Then add the mascarpone and turn the heat down to low. Now add a ladle of water, otherwise the mascarpone will burn. I always use the pasta water for this, but then add salt very carefully, as Parma ham and pasta water are already salty. When the mascarpone has melted, add enough water until the desired consistency is reached. I always use about three ladles. Chop the basil and chili peppers and add them to the sauce at the very end. Drain the pasta and immediately toss with the sauce and serve. Add a little more salt if desired. If you like, add Parmesan cheese. The dish is super tasty and quick to cook. However, it’s not good for weight loss and is only really good freshly made. I once heated up leftovers in the microwave, but it wasn’t that great; the mascarpone turned out kind of weird.