The short winter days can be discouraging, and life can get even drearier when you arrive home from work and realize that you have no idea what to make for dinner. Whenever I am short on time or patience and I need a little warmth and comfort, I think pasta.

When I use dried pastas I like to use the brand Valentino Felicetti. This particular pasta brand is imported from Italy and uses whole grain flours such as kamut, an heirloom variety of durum wheat that is higher in protein and has a lovely flavor. If you are unable to find this brand, a whole wheat pasta or traditional pasta will definitely work.

You could easily use spinach or chard in this recipe but the bitter, peppery nature of arugula will add a nice complexity. I recommend keeping blocks of Parmigiano-Reggiano and Pecorino Romano cheeses in your refrigerator; they last quite a while and are very handy when throwing together quick dishes.

This recipe is adapted from one of my favorite cookbooks for quick pasta dishes: On Top of Spaghetti by Joan Killeen and George Germon, who own the restaurant Al Forno in Providence, Rhode Island.

Fusilli with Egg and Arugula
Serves 4 as a Main Dish

• 4 large organic eggs, at room temperature*
• Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• ½ cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 8 cups loosely packed arugula
• 1 pound dried fusilli (or other dried pasta)
• ½ cup thinly sliced prosciutto

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta.

In a large bowl, scramble the eggs and add about ¾ of the Parmigiano-Reggiano and Pecorino Romano cheeses, reserving the rest of the cheese for garnish.

Place a large sauté pan over medium heat and add the extra virgin olive oil. Add the minced garlic, being careful to keep the temperature at a moderate level so the garlic does not burn. Cook until the garlic is golden brown. Add the arugula, mixing it in with the garlic until the greens wilt. Add a pinch of sea salt and fresh ground pepper and toss to combine. Remove the sauté pan from the heat.

When the water comes up to a boil, add a good handful of salt and drop in the pasta. Cook until al dente, when the pasta is almost fully cooked through but still has a slight resistance in the center when you bite into it. The pasta should take about ten minutes but begin testing for doneness around eight minutes.

Drain the pasta, reserving about ½ cup of the cooking water. Place the sauté pan with the garlic and arugula over low heat and add the pasta. Add a splash of the pasta cooking water and toss. Remove from the heat and immediately add the egg and cheese batter, tossing thoroughly so all of the pasta is coated.

Garnish with prosciutto slices and remaining cheese. Serve immediately.

* It is important to source high-quality organic eggs since the eggs will not totally be cooked through.