Fettucini Florentine

Five ingredients, no tricks, and a sauce so rich it practically makes itself. Prosciutto gets a quick sauté in butter for just one minute to crisp the edges, then heavy cream and chopped spinach go in and reduce together until thick enough to coat a spoon. Parmesan stirred in at the end adds a salty, nutty sharpness that ties everything together.

“Florentine” in Italian cooking always means spinach is involved, and here it does more than add color. The spinach wilts into the cream as it reduces, adding an earthy, slightly mineral note that keeps the sauce from being just fat on fat. The prosciutto brings a concentrated, salty pork flavor that a whole ham steak couldn’t match.

This sauce is rich. Genuinely, unapologetically rich. Three cups of heavy cream for four servings is not a typo. Toss it with a full pound of cooked fettuccine and serve in warm bowls.

Kitchen Tips

• Sauté the prosciutto briefly, just 1 minute. Overcooked prosciutto gets tough and leathery
• Reduce the cream until it coats a spoon. This takes patience, but rushing it on high heat risks scorching
• Add the Parmesan off the heat or over very low heat. High heat makes it clump instead of melting smoothly
• Season carefully. The prosciutto and Parmesan are both salty, so taste before adding salt

Variations

• Add a pinch of nutmeg to the cream for a more classic Italian cream sauce flavor
• Use pancetta instead of prosciutto for a slightly milder, less intense pork note
• Toss in sautéed mushrooms with the spinach for an earthier, more substantial sauce