Pesto And Prosciutto Asparagus Recipes

SPINACH-RICOTTA PESTO PASTA WITH CRISP PROSCIUTTO AND ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over high heat. When it boils, add pasta and cook as indicated on box.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. When it shimmers, add prosciutto and cook, stirring occasionally, until prosciutto is crisp, about 5 minutes. Add asparagus and toss to coat evenly. Let cook until asparagus just starts to get browned on the edges, about 3 minutes.
• Remove 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Add a few tablespoons of the water to the asparagus mixture, stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to incorporate browned bits, and remove from heat. Drain pasta and return to pot (off heat), add remaining reserved pasta cooking water, asparagus, Spinach-Ricotta Dip, and stir until thoroughly coated. Taste and adjust seasoning, as desired. Serve immediately.
• In a large frying pan, heat oil over medium heat. When oil shimmers, add pine nuts and cook until they make a popping noise and start to brown, about 1 minute. Stir in garlic and onion and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer onion mixture to a food processor fitted with a blade, add in remaining ingredients, and process until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning, as necessary.

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.

BAKED ASPARAGUS WITH SHIITAKE, PROSCIUTTO AND COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (it should be twice as long as the pan). Lay asparagus in a pile in the center. Scatter mushrooms and prosciutto on top. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt, the pepper and nutmeg. Toss vegetables to coat evenly. Lay tarragon over top.
• Fold parchment to completely enclose vegetables, and staple top and sides shut (or tie up with string). Transfer pan to oven and bake for 1 hour. Asparagus should be just cooked through. If too crisp, return to oven until done to taste.
• In a small pot over medium-high heat, bring 3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons water, 2 teaspoons olive oil and remaining salt to a simmer. Stir in couscous and remove pot from heat. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with fork.
• Spoon couscous onto serving plates and drizzle with oil. Divide prosciutto and vegetables, and their juices, among the plates and serve.

RISOTTO WITH ASPARAGUS AND PROSCIUTTO

Steps:

• Prepare and trim asparagus*. Cut stalks into 2 cm long pieces, reserve the tips.
• Place ⅔ of stalk pieces, 1 cup broth and 1 cup water in blender and puree until almost smooth. Set aside.
• Sauté onion in olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter for 5 minutes in a large pan, over medium heat.
• Add prosciutto and sauté for 3 more minutes.
• Add rice and stir to coat the grains for 2 minutes. Add wine and cook until absorbed, stirring often, about 2 minutes.
• Add ½ cup stock and simmer until liquid is absorbed, stirring often, about 4 minutes. Continue to cook for 15 minutes, adding more stock as needed and allowing liquid to be absorbed before adding more, stirring often.
• Add remaining asparagus stalk pieces and reserved asparagus tips and continue cooking until rice is just tender and mixture is creamy, adding stock as needed and stirring often, about 10 minutes longer.
• Add reserved asparagus puree and stir until absorbed, about 3 minutes.
• Stir in the remaining butter, Parmesan and cream but do not return to the heat.
• * Slightly bend each stalk and allow it to „snap" naturally - it will break exactly at the point where the stalk begins to be thick and woody. Remove these hard parts.