Pasta a la Prisa

Last week I had a small party for my husband to celebrate his emancipation from the Navy. The next day I had some cocktail shrimp leftovers which I transformed into this delicious pasta dish. You can use almost any leftovers and the outcome is always great pasta. The best part is that you can whip up this dish in less than 15 minutes. Try different a variation of ingredients but the following recipe was quite delish.

INGREDIENTS (2 servings)

• 1/2 lb. Spaghetti, Linguini or Fettuccini
• 1 Tsp. Olive oil
• 2 slices of proscuitto, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 cup (about a handful) fresh spinach, cleaned & washed
• 8 to 12 cooked cocktail shrimp, remove the tails
• 1/4 cup feta or Romano or mizithra cheese
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, finely chopped

1. First, cook your pasta to al dente in a large pot of salted boiling water.
2. Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a large skillet on medium. Add the proscuitto and cook for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute. Raise temperature to medium-high and add the spinach. Cook for another minute. Add the shrimp and cook for 5 minutes then add the cheese and the red pepper flakes.
3. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta water. Add the pasta to the skillet and toss to coat. If pasta looks a little dry, add a bit of the pasta water one tablespoon at a time.
4. Cook for another minute or so and finally add the finely chopped parsley. Serve immediately and enjoy with a glass of red wine and some good crusty French bread.