Line Cooks: Pasta Alfredo with Parma Ham and Tomatoes

Whenever I look at my friends I always think to myself what a great mix of people i have around me, from all walks of life. I know this sounds cliche, but I feel so lucky to have the people I do in my life and having met so many wonderful people, with whom I share my life, sometime a single memory and sometimes a photo album of an amazing trip ... I decided to "collect" my friends on this blog and tell the world about them, plus I thought it would be so great to see what's cooking in different households ... 

You've already met Denise from California and her Super Quick Pasta with Italian Sausage and Sauce, today Line from Norway will cook for us. 

Here she is with her two beautiful daughters: Sarah and Vilde: 

We met in 2002 (I think) on a trip to the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. It was a Trek America trip and for those who are not familiar with it, it's one of those "hippie" busses with people crammed into a small van, who cook under the stars, sleep in cheap hotels and travel days without a shower at times. 

I have so many memories of this trip - celebrating New Year's Eve in San Cristobal de las Casas (an amazing city) and laughing my head off at Line's romantic encounter with a local boy a head shorter, who could not resist and mid-dance bit her nipple, sleeping in a hammock by the ruins of Calakmul, climbing up the Maya pyramids at the crack of the dawn and getting Montezuma's revenge right on the top surrounded by our group and a view of Guatemala, snorkeling a dark cenote (a sinkhole with exposed rocky edges containing groundwater) and feeling as if I had just stepped into the paintings of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. 

Oh those memories! Look at us so young and beautiful right below ready to conquer a cenote ... 

 

But back to what's cooking in Norway ... Here is what Line writes .... 

I once found this recipe in a Norwegian blog, and then I gradually changed it for my taste.

For 2 hungry people:

200-250 grams spaghetti

6 slices of parma ham (in small pieces)

75 grams parmesan, grated

1 tablespoon butter

1,5 dl (3/4 cup) cream

10 cherry tomatoes (divided into two)

toasted pine nuts

freshly ground nutmeg

maldon (or normal salt)

freshly ground pepper

olive oil

basil or/and leaf parsley

Boil spaghetti in salted water according to package directions.

Heat the butter and cream gently in the pan.

Season with nutmeg and freshly ground black pepper.

Add the tomatoes and cook until they are slightly softer (but still a little "al dente")

Then add the cheese so the sauce becomes thick and creamy. (mmmm mmmm )

Don't let it cook too long after this, or it will be too creamy.

The sauce is then ready to be mixed with spaghetti and parma ham (yes, this is a very quick meal to make) Add salt if you like, but I would say that the parmesan and parma ham makes the dish naturally salty.

Top it with really good olive oil , chopped fresh herbs and toasted pine nuts... and if you are really into cheese: more parmesan ;)

Hungry?

Thank you Line for this delicious recipe! 

Just what any mom needs - a quick and easy dinner for the hungry bunch! 

Are you inspired yet? I hope you are! 

Do you have a recipe to share? Send it the LoLoViE way! 

LO(lo)V(i)E, LV