Cheesy Potato Soup with Crispy Prosciutto

Preheat oven to 400°F. Place 6-8 slices of prosciutto on a lightly greased or Silpat-lined sheet pan. Bake at 400° for about 10 minutes, until crisp. Set aside to cool. Break into crumbles. (Alternately, fry or bake bacon until crisp, cool, and break into crumbles.)

Heat olive oil in a large soup pot and saute onions and carrots until they start to soften, about 5 minutes. Add diced potatoes and enough chicken stock to cover everything. Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.

While the potatoes are cooking, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Once melted, add the flour to form a roux, whisking to combine. Cook for 1 minute. Add the milk slowly, whisking constantly to smooth out any lumps. Continue to heat while whisking until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Once it reaches the desired thickness, remove from heat and stir in grated cheddar cheese.

Once potatoes are tender, pour the cheese mixture into the potato mixture, stirring to combine. Heat to a simmer and cook until thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with crumbled crispy prosciutto or bacon and enjoy!