One of the first things I made in college was a sundried tomato pasta from the Cooking with Friends cookbook. I liked it so much that I made it again and again throughout college. Later on I discovered another sundried tomato recipe that included pesto in it, and that was another favorite of mine.

I’ve been craving that pasta recently, but decided it was time to break out from the same old recipe I’ve used again and again. This time I tossed in a little prosciutto, cut back on the olive oil, and did it without the book altogether.

The results? Better than ever. This took one of my favorite dishes to the next level. It’s a little spicy, a touch sweet and has just enough saltiness. Yum.

5 sundried tomatoes, cut into strips
5-7 leaves basil, torn into small pieces
2 slices thick cut prosciutto, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup cooked pasta

Combine tomatoes, basil, prosciutto, garlic , red pepper flakes, and olive oil in a dish and let sit 5-10 minutes (you could use this time to cook the pasta).

Mix cooked pasta with the tomato mixture and serve. Top with parmesan, if desired.