Savory Pesto Pasta Salad with Asparagus and Crispy Prosciutto

What you’ll need:

• Pearled couscous or other small pasta shape

• Prosciutto 

• Peas (I used almost an entire bag of frozen peas)

• Bunch of Asparagus 

• 1 package of baby Arugula

• Parmesan cheese

• Shallot, diced 

• Artichoke hearts, diced

• Basil pesto (3ish tbsp)

• 4 tbsp olive oil (I might’ve used more to get to the right consistency)

• Juice of 2 lemons

How to make it:

1. Make the Dressing: In a jar, combine pesto, olive oil, lemon juice, black pepper and salt to taste. Optional: pinch of red pepper flakes 

2. Cook couscous and season to your liking (I used herbs and garlic)

3. Chop asparagus into 2-inch pieces, toss in a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. 

4. Heat oven to 400º and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. 

5. Arrange the asparagus and prosciutto slices in a single layer on the lined baking sheets. 

6. Bake 9-12 minutes (keep an eye on them) and cool on a rack. Break prosciutto into pieces once cooled.

7. While everything is baking, prepare peas in the microwave. (Or however u want to make them.)

8. Combine the arugula with your cooked couscous, prosciutto, cooked peas & asparagus, diced shallot, and diced artichokes with the dressing and top with parmesan.