Spaghetti with Asparagus, Smoked Mozzarella and Prosciutto

I made this Giada De Laurentiis recipe today, although I halved the amount of asparagus. The cherrywood-smoked mozzarella complements the cured prosciutto, and the pasta is chock full of add-ins, so there's no need for a sauce.

SPAGHETTI WITH ASPARAGUS, SMOKED MOZZARELLA AND PROSCIUTTO

serves 6 to 8

2 lbs asparagus, trimmed
3/4 lb spaghetti
4 tbs olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 oz thinly sliced prosciutto, cut crosswise into strips
6 oz smoked mozzarella cheese, diced (about 1 cup)
6 tbs thinly sliced fresh basil leavesCook the asparagus in a large pot of boiling water until crisp and tender, about 2 to 3 minutes. With a spider or slotted spoon, remove asparagus from boiling water to a bowl of ice water to cool and stop the cooking.When cool, strain, cut asparagus into 1" pieces, and set aside.

Return the water in the pot to a boil, adding additional water, if necessary. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes.
Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Add asparagus to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the pasta, and if needed, some of the reserved cooking liquid. Toss to coat. Add the prosciutto, mozzarella, and basil, and toss to combine.Turn off the heat. Season with salt and pepper and serve.