Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Prosciutto Pasta

Preheat oven to 325 F. Trim the tough stem off of all of the Brussels sprouts and discard. Cut the smaller sprouts into halves and larger sprouts into quarters. Remove any loose leaves as well. Just set the loose leaves aside; they will be roasted also.

Place all of the sprouts and leaves onto a rimmed non-stick baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put the pan into the oven. Roast for 20 minutes, turning the sprouts halfway through. When they are done, the loose leaves will be crispy and browned and the sprouts will be fork tender.

While Brussels sprouts are roasting, bring a pasta pot filled with salted water to a boil. Also, put 2 inches of water into another saucepan and bring it to a simmer (for poaching the eggs).

Cook the pasta according to package directions. When it’s done, remove from heat and reserve ½ cup of the pasta water. Drain off the remaining water, rinse the pasta lightly with cold water and set aside.

In the saucepan that the pasta was cooked in crumble the goat cheese and pour in the reserved pasta water. Stir together until a light sauce forms.

While the pasta is cooking poach the eggs. Crack each egg into a separate shallow dish. With the edge of the shallow dish touching the simmering water, gently slip the eggs into the water. Using a spoon gather each egg’s whites around the yolk to set. Cook each egg about 3 minutes, or until the whites are set. Remove them from the water with a slotted spoon, set them on a plate and use a paper towel to blot lightly and drain away liquid.

Divide pasta into two shallow bowls and pour the goat cheese sauce over the top. Top with roasted Brussels sprouts, fried proscuitto, egg and additional crumbled goat cheese if desired. Serve immediately.