Too Hot to Cook: Pasta with Asparagus and Prosciutto

It's been so friggin' hot here that it's hard to think about cooking, much less do it. So we fell back on one of our old standards: Pasta with Asparagus and Prosciutto. Not sure where it came from, but I think Ira came up with the basic elements years ago, based on a dish he had in Italy, even longer ago. It's nice because it requires very little actual cooking beyond boiling the pasta water.

Pasta with Asparagus and Prosciutto

Cook about 3/4 pound linguine or fettuccine in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Meanwhile, cook 3/4 pound asparagus in a medium skillet of salted water for just a few minutes; the spears should be underdone. Cut into bite-size pieces. Empty the skillet and add about 1 tablespoon of olive oil; saute 1 or 2 minced shallots until soft. Add the asparagus and heat through. Add about 1/2 cup chicken stock (if you have it), then 1/4 to 1/2 cup cream. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese. Add the cooked pasta and toss to mix. Season with salt. At the table, top each serving with chopped prosciutto (you'll need about 4 ounces total; if you can, have the meat guy cut the prosciutto thicker than the standard, paper-thin pieces used for sandwiches). And grind on a lot of black pepper.