Recipe

January 26, 2009

Asparagus, Prosciutto & Parmesan Phyllo Rolls

Recipe:

Step 1: Preheat oven to 425°F. Place cookie sheet in oven for 5 minutes.

Step 2: Brush asparagus with olive oil and spread out on hot sheet pan in the oven. Roast quickly, shacking pan or turning asparagus every 45 seconds until they are coloured bright green but still crunchy about 90 seconds. Cool on a rack then roll up in the prosciutto tightly.

Step 3: Have your phyllo in a damp cloth so it doesn’t dry out, with your cheese, pepper, butter and wrapped asparagus spears handy. You’ll need an open counter space to proceed.

Step 4: Lay out one sheet of phyllo horizontally in front of you. Dip brush in butter and shake over the left or right half of the sheet. Sprinkle the buttered half with pepper and cheese and close the unbuttered side over the buttered.

Step 5: Brush the sheet again with butter and flip over. Place an asparagus spear at the bottom of the sheet and begin to roll until half way up.

Step 6: Cut across the sheet and butter the cut edge and seal. Place seam side down on the sheet pan and sprinkle top with Parmesan.

Step 7: Place another spear on the leftover sheet of phyllo and roll up sealing edge again with butter; place seam side down on the sheet pan and sprinkle with cheese as before.

Step 8: Repeat until all ingredients are used up, you may need to zap butter in microwave from time to time to keep liquid. Refrigerate or freeze rolls before baking.

Step 9: Bake on hot unlined sheet pan in 400°F oven turning until brown all over, about 6-8 minutes. Cool slightly and slice into 3 or 4 pieces with a sharp serrated knife. Freeze and reheat or serve immediately.

Makes 45 to 60 pieces

Ingredients

1 bunch of asparagus, stem ends snapped off or trimmed
Olive oil
1 package phyllo pastry
1 cup melted or clarified butter
2 cups Canadian Parmesan Reggiano cheese
1/2 cup cracked black pepper
20 thin but whole slices prosciutto

Equipment
Pastry brush
Small sharp knife
Sheet pan
Parchment paper

Note: Kitchen supply stores often sell wavy perforated baking sheets that are ideal for baking this recipe, cheese straws and other cigar shaped items.

Directions

Yield:

Step 1: Preheat oven to 425°F. Place cookie sheet in oven for 5 minutes.

Step 2: Brush asparagus with olive oil and spread out on hot sheet pan in the oven. Roast quickly, shacking pan or turning asparagus every 45 seconds until they are coloured bright green but still crunchy about 90 seconds. Cool on a rack then roll up in the prosciutto tightly.

Step 3: Have your phyllo in a damp cloth so it doesn’t dry out, with your cheese, pepper, butter and wrapped asparagus spears handy. You’ll need an open counter space to proceed.

Step 4: Lay out one sheet of phyllo horizontally in front of you. Dip brush in butter and shake over the left or right half of the sheet. Sprinkle the buttered half with pepper and cheese and close the unbuttered side over the buttered.

Step 5: Brush the sheet again with butter and flip over. Place an asparagus spear at the bottom of the sheet and begin to roll until half way up.

Step 6: Cut across the sheet and butter the cut edge and seal. Place seam side down on the sheet pan and sprinkle top with Parmesan.

Step 7: Place another spear on the leftover sheet of phyllo and roll up sealing edge again with butter; place seam side down on the sheet pan and sprinkle with cheese as before.

Step 8: Repeat until all ingredients are used up, you may need to zap butter in microwave from time to time to keep liquid. Refrigerate or freeze rolls before baking.

Step 9: Bake on hot unlined sheet pan in 400°F oven turning until brown all over, about 6-8 minutes. Cool slightly and slice into 3 or 4 pieces with a sharp serrated knife. Freeze and reheat or serve immediately.

Makes 45 to 60 pieces