Crispy Prosciutto & Roasted Tomato Carbonara

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My mouth is watering just looking at this Crispy Prosciutto & Roasted Tomato Carbonara - aka, the best savory dinner you'll ever have! The recipe is very simple that is exploding with roasted notes and salty goodness that will give you a little taste of Italy at home!

Crispy Prosciutto & Roasted Tomato Carbonara
Crispy Prosciutto & Roasted Tomato Carbonara

What is prosciutto?

Oh man, prosciutto is the ultimate savory, salty snack that is traditional to Italy. It is a type of unsmoked Italian dry-cured ham that has the perfect sweet/salty flavor. It becomes crispy very quickly because of its delicate texture.

Traditionally, authentic prosciutto is dry-aged in cold storerooms for about a year (VERY different from American-style bacon).

Although you can omit the prosciutto in this recipe, it really adds great texture and depth of flavor to the carbonara!

How do you make crispy prosciutto?

Line a baking pan with parchment paper, then individually lay each slice of prosciutto in a nest-like form. Bake at 400F for 10-12 minutes, until shriveled up and crispy, golden goodness. Keep a close eye on them closer to the 8 minute mark to ensure that they don't burn since they are delicate.

Crispy Prosciutto & Roasted Tomato Carbonara
Crispy Prosciutto & Roasted Tomato Carbonara

Why add the sun-dried tomatoes?

Sun-dried tomatoes (preferably dry and not preserved in oil) have a much more intense sweet flavor that is slightly tart, as well. They add great texture to the dish as they are chewier than the softened, roasted cherry tomatoes.

Sun-dried tomatoes are a great pantry essential as they will last quite a while (unlike fresh tomatoes); however, they still retain much of their antioxidants and vitamins as they would if fresh.

Crispy Prosciutto & Roasted Tomato Carbonara
Crispy Prosciutto & Roasted Tomato Carbonara

The roasted garlic adds great richness and sweetness to the carbonara dish; however, you can also just use regular garlic cloves.

Now, it is time to grab our aprons, turn on a little Dean Martin, and cook this delicious pasta!

Crispy Prosciutto & Roasted Tomato Carbonara

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Ingredients

  • 1 c. Sharp Aged Cheddar, (grated (or Parmigiano reggiano))
  • 16 oz. Linguine
  • 1 large Egg
  • 2 Roasted Garlic Cloves (look at notes), (can be substitute with regular garlic cloves)
  • 1/3 c. Sun-dried Tomatoes, (chopped)
  • 1 1/2 c. Cherry Tomatoes, (halved)
  • 1 tbsp. + 1 tsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1/4 c. Fresh Dill, (chopped)
  • 1/2 tsp. Sea Salt
  • 1/2 tsp. Black Pepper
  • Crispy Prosciutto, (for serving)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a baking pan with parchment paper.
  2. Toss the 1 teaspoon olive oil with the halved cherry tomatoes, then spread in a singular layer on the prepared pan. Bake for 25 minutes.
  3. In the meantime, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then add in the pasta and cook until al dente. Reserve 3/4 cup pasta water.
  4. In a large bowl, whisk together the grated cheese, remaining tablespoon olive oil, sea salt, black pepper, egg, freshly chopped dill, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, and minced garlic cloves.
  5. Add the reserved pasta water into the bowl and mix. Add in the linguine and toss for 4-5 minutes, until creamy. (If you prefer the pasta a little creamier, you can add a little milk 1 teaspoon at a time.)
  6. Toss in the roasted cherry tomatoes and crispy prosciutto (recipe in blogpost above). Serve warm.

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