Peas and Prosciutto Pasta with Onion

I used a different kind of pasta than I had wanted, I think this would be awesome wish bow tie pasta or fiori or campanelle, but it works. Use what you have, just make sure it's a short-cut pasta! So I was bummed about the prosciutto because I like to lay it on top of the dish. I think it's much prettier, and for whatever reason meat usually tastes better (to me anyway) when it's in your face, not hidden in the food. Unless it's lasagna, okay but anyway .  .  . This dish is SO simple to make, this will be lunch for us today since I made it last night.

Peas and Prosciutto Pasta with Onion

• 1 pound short-cut pasta
• Canned tomato sauce, OR fresh tomatoes or canned tomatoes mashed up
  
• 1/4 of an onion, or 2 shallots chopped
• 2, or more, cups frozen peas
• 1/4 pound (or one of those 3 ounce packages) prosciutto, or pancetta will work
• grating cheese to top it off with (Parmigiano-Reggiano will compliment the prosciutto nicely)
• salt + pepper
  

For the sauce, I used the other half of the canned spaghetti sauce we had leftover. You can absolutely make your own sauce though, using tomatoes, white or red white, and whatever other herbs you'd want. What I did was: saute the onions and pork in a little EVOO until the onions were sweet and the pork was crispy. I added in my garlic, tomato sauce, salt and pepper, a dash of the red wine I was drinking, and a cup of the water I used to boil the pasta in. The pasta water has some flavor to it and will bulk up your sauce and help pair the pasta and sauce. I think we all know how to cook pasta . . . so do that first =) Right before you add the hot pasta to the sauce, throw in your frozen peas. Cook the pasta just shy of al dente, it will continue to cook in the hot sauce. Stir in extra salt and pepper to taste, and add your fresh basil right before serving. Top with your grated cheese, and voila!