Vegan Italian Prosciutto and Peas Pasta Alfredo (no cholesterol)

**NOW WITH A FAT FREE/NUT FREE ALFREDO VERSION**

Prosciutto (or as my grandfather pronounced it Pra-jewt! complete with the classic italian hand gestures) is Italian dry-cured ham.

Traditional Prosciutto and Peas Pasta is made with lots of butter and heavy cream making this delicious Italian classic packed full of artery-clogging cholesterol, Madone!

This Plant-Based version is cholesterol free, low sodium, oil free, and low fat, and heart healthy!

**Note: the prosciutto needs to be made in the morning or day before.

Vegan Italian Prosciutto and Peas Pasta (no cholesterol)

This is family style! Makes 5 cups sauce! Serves: 6. Cooking Time: 30 minutes (minus marinating).

INGREDIENTS:

Prosciutto (marinates 6-24 hours)

• 3 1/2 cups skinned carrots (about 2 large)
• 1/4 cup low sodium Tamari (soy sauce) *to make this soy free use coconut aminos
• 1/4 cup Water
• 1 Tbs Vegan Worcestershire (omit to make gluten free)
• 1 Tbs Dijon Mustard
• 2 Tbs Sea Salt
• 1 tsp Liquid Smoke
• 1 tsp dried Fennel Seeds (optional)
• 1 tsp Chili Powder
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 tsp Onion Powder

Pasta & Sauce (fat free version available)

• 2 lbs Pasta (such as fettuccini or linguini) **
• 1 small head Cauliflower (3 cups)
• 1/2 cup raw Cashews (for fat free sub 1/2 cup cannellini beans. Still delish I promise!)
• 3 cups unsweetened Plant Milk (not soy)
• 1/4 cup Nutritional Yeast
• 1 Tbs Lemon Juice
• 2 Tbs Arrowroot Powder (or cornstarch. NOT tapioca!)
• 4 small Garlic Cloves
• 3 tsp Sea Salt
• 1 can Peas (no salt added, drained)
• Vegan Parmesean LINK here!

** i highly recommend using the corn/quinoa blend pasta i used (see pics) for a great whole grain option that tastes and looks just like WHITE pasta!

DIRECTIONS:

1. Prosciutto: Wash and cut the ends off, skin the outer layer of your carrots and discard.
2. Skin your carrots making long, thin, wide, shreds. (see pic)
3. Bunch up the shreds over a cutting board and cut them all together into square-like pieces to resemble diced proscuitto. Feather them out and cut more if needed. (see pic)
4. In a small lidded bowl, Combine the dried spices, the liquid ingredients, mix, then add the water.
5. Add the skinned and cut carrot shreds and gently push down to cover with the liquid. Put on lid.
6. Marinate covered in the fridge for 6 or more hours.
7. Pasta & Sauce: Boil a large lidded pot of water.
8. Add the cleaned and cut cauliflower AND the raw cashews if using (especially if you don’t have a high-speed blender)
9. Boil until cauliflower is fork tender (about 15 minutes)
10. Drain and place in blender.
11. Replace the pot back on the stove and fill with water again and bring to a boil for the pasta.
12. Cook pasta according to package. Drain and rinse. Rinse very well if using gluten free pasta.
13. In the blender, add the nutritional yeast, plant milk, arrowroot, garlic, lemon, salt (drained beans if making nut free version) Blend until smooth.
14. Prosciutto and Peas: In a hot, wide, high-sided, lidded pan, add the marinated carrots with the little marinade left. With lid on, Cook for 10 minutes, adding a tiny bit of water (OR oil if prefer) to the hot pan to prevent sticking if needed but not to boil the carrots. Stir often. Make sure you BURN OFF ALL THE LIQUID. (see pic)
15. Pour the contents of the blender in with the carrots and add the drained peas. Bring to a very low bubble while stirring then lower heat all the way down while stirring. This will thicken the sauce.
16. Add the drained & rinsed hot pasta to the sauce.
17. Season with salt to taste. Serve with dried or fresh parsley, and vegan parmesean LINK here!
18. Enjoy!

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