Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus With Fontina Recipes

ASPARAGUS-FONTINA-PROSCIUTTO WRAPS

Steps:

• Saute or grill the asparagus until slightly tender. Let cool. Wrap each stalk with a slice of fontina and the prosciutto. Serve with an Aioli dipping sauce.
• Place the egg yolk, lemon juice, garlic, and salt into a food processor. Process until well blended. With the machine running, pour in the olive oil in a steady stream and process until the mixture thickens. Scrape into a bowl and squeeze a few more drops of lemon juice over the top, stir and set aside.

ROASTED ASPARAGUS WRAPPED IN PROSCIUTTO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Snap the dry stem ends off of each asparagus and place on a heavy baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss. Roast until the asparagus is tender, about 15 minutes. Cool completely.
• Wrap each asparagus with 1 piece (about 1/2 a slice) of prosciutto, exposing tips. Arrange on a platter and serve at room temperature.

ASPARAGUS WRAPPED IN CRISP PROSCIUTTO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and coat with olive oil.
• Wrap one slice of prosciutto around each asparagus spear, starting at the bottom, and spiraling up to the tip. Place the wrapped spears on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake for 5 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove, and shake the pan back and forth to roll the spears over. Return to the oven for another 5 minutes, or until asparagus is tender, and prosciutto is crisp. Serve immediately.

ASPARAGUS ALLA FONTINA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the asparagus and cook until crisp-tender. Drain and cut into 1-to-1½-inch lengths. Return the asparagus to the pot. Add the butter and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Set over low heat and stir to melt the butter. Remove from the heat.
• Turn the asparagus and the melted butter into a 9- or 10-inch pie plate. Arrange in an even layer. Sprinkle with the Gruyère, prosciutto and parsley. Pour the beaten eggs on top, gently shaking the pan to distribute.
• Top with the Parmesan and bake until the eggs are set into a custard and a golden-brown crust forms on top, about 35 minutes. Serve hot or warm.

FRIED FONTINA AND PROSCIUTTO-WRAPPED ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Set a large bowl of cold water by the sink. Bend each stalk of asparagus until it snaps and discard the tough ends. Remove the tough outer skin of the asparagus spears with a vegetable peeler. Slide the spears into the boiling water and cook until the asparagus is tender but still firm, about 4 minutes. Drain in a colander and plunge into the cold water. Let stand until cooled through. Drain thoroughly and pat the spears dry.
• On a clean and dry work surface, lay out a slice of Fontina cheese with one of the corners facing you. Lay an asparagus spear over the cheese so the corner of the cheese closest to you is about halfway down the stalk. Roll the cheese tightly around the asparagus, covering the entire stalk with Fontina. Lay out a slice of prosciutto as you did the Fontina. Place a sage leaf over one end of the prosciutto and roll the cheese-coated asparagus spears up to enclose them completely. Tuck any overhanging cheese and prosciutto underneath the asparagus to make a neat bundle. Repeat with the remaining asparagus.
• Whisk the eggs, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl. Spread the flour and bread crumbs in an even layer on two separate plates.
• Dredge the asparagus bundles in flour to coat all sides. Tap off excess flour. Roll the asparagus in the beaten egg to coat. Remove the asparagus, allowing any excess egg to drip back into the bowl. Transfer the asparagus to the bread crumbs and roll, pressing lightly, to coat evenly with the crumbs. Remove to a clean baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining asparagus bundles.
• Heat the oven to 200° F or lowest setting. Line a baking sheet with a double thickness of paper towels. Pour the vegetable oil and olive oil into a deep skillet. Heat the oil over medium heat until the oil registers 350° F on a deep-frying thermometer. (If you're frying without a thermometer, the oil is ready when one end of an asparagus bundle gives off a lively but steady sizzle when dipped in the oil.) Once the oil reaches the desired temperature, adjust the heat under the pot to maintain a steady temperature, and continue adjusting the heat as necessary during frying. Carefully slip as many asparagus spears into the oil as will fit without touching. Fry the asparagus, turning as necessary with tongs or a slotted spoon, until golden brown and crisp on all sides, about 4 minutes. Remove to the paper-towel-lined baking sheet. Keep them warm in the oven while frying remaining asparagus bundles. Serve hot.

ASPARAGUS AND PROSCIUTTO CROSTINI WITH FONDUTA

Steps:

• Make fonduta:
• In a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a pan of simmering water melt butter. Add Fontina and milk and heat, stirring with a whisk, until cheese begins to melt. Whisk in yolks and cook, stirring constantly with whisk, until smooth and thickened slightly, about 7 minutes.
• Remove pan from heat and remove bowl from pan. Stir sauce 1 minute while water in pan cools slightly. Return bowl to pan and keep sauce warm over hot water (off heat), whisking occasionally to eliminate skin that forms on surface.
• Preheat broiler.
• On a baking sheet toast bread about 3 inches from heat, turning, until golden, about 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Rub tops of crostini with cut side of garlic and brush with oil. Season crostini lightly with salt. Divide crostini among 4 plates and top with prosciutto.
• In a deep 10- to 12-inch skillet bring 1 1/4 inches salted water to a boil and cook asparagus until crisp-tender, about 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer asparagus with tongs to a colander and drain. Divide asparagus among crostini. Pour fonduta over them.