Ina Garten Asparagus & Prosciutto Bundles

Ina Garten asparagus & prosciutto bundles are an easy spring side dish made with fresh asparagus, Italian prosciutto and Gruyère, ready in 45 minutes. They're a simple make-ahead recipe for Easter dinner, Mother's Day brunch or a holiday table, and they go in the oven straight from the fridge.

Plunge the blanched asparagus into ice water for a full 2 to 3 minutes, because that cold bath locks in the bright green color. Skip it and the spears keep cooking in the oven and turn dull and limp.

Ina Garten calls asparagus one of her favorite vegetables, and she serves these bundles when she wants a special dinner. Truffle butter drizzled over the prosciutto and Gruyère adds a rich, nutty flavor that plain roasted asparagus can't match. The recipe comes from her book Make It Ahead (2014).

Source: Make It Ahead (2014)

Ina Garten Asparagus and Prosciutto Bundles

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Course: Side DishCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

25

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Calories

190

kcal

Tender asparagus spears wrapped in prosciutto bake under a blanket of truffle butter and melted Gruyère. The edges turn crisp and browned while the stalks stay snappy and green.

Ingredients

• Kosher salt
  

• 2 pounds medium-size asparagus, bottom thirds discarded
  

• 6 slices of Italian prosciutto
  

• Good olive oil
  

• 2 tablespoons white truffle butter
  

• Fleur de sel and freshly ground black pepper
  

• 2 ounces grated Gruyère cheese
  

Directions

• Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. That way it's hot by the time the bundles are assembled.
• Blanch the asparagus: Fill a large pot with water, add 1 tablespoon salt and bring it to a boil, peeling thick asparagus halfway up the stalk first. Cook the spears for 2 minutes, then drain them.
• Chill in ice water: Put the drained asparagus straight into a large bowl of ice water for 2 to 3 minutes to set the bright green color. Then drain and pat them dry.
• Wrap the bundles: Gather 6 to 8 asparagus spears into a bundle with the tips together and wrap 1 slice of prosciutto securely around the middle. Repeat to make 6 bundles in all.
• Arrange in the dish: Brush a rectangular baking dish with 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, making sure it's large enough to hold the bundles in one layer. Then place the bundles seam side down, side by side, with the tips facing the same way.
• Add the truffle butter: Heat 2 tablespoons white truffle butter and 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil in a small saucepan until the butter melts. Then drizzle it over the bundles.
• Season and top: Sprinkle the bundles with 3/4 teaspoon fleur de sel, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 2 ounces grated Gruyère. Everything goes on right before baking.
• Bake and serve: Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the butter is sizzling and the cheese melts and starts to brown. Serve hot.

Tools for this recipe

• Lodge 6-quart enameled Dutch oven, OXO swivel vegetable peeler, OXO silicone pastry brush, Le Saunier de Camargue fleur de sel. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I assemble the bundles ahead of time?

Yes, and Ina Garten suggests it. You can wrap the bundles, add the truffle butter and cheese, then keep the dish in the fridge for up to 12 hours. Bake it just before serving.

What can I use if I don't have truffle butter?

Regular unsalted butter works if you melt it with the olive oil the same way. You'll lose the earthy truffle flavor, so a pinch of extra black pepper helps keep the dish from tasting flat.

Can I use thin asparagus instead of medium-size?

You can, but thin spears cook faster, so shorten the blanching time to about 1 minute. Thick spears need peeling halfway up the stalk so they cook as evenly as the rest.

Do I need a rectangular baking dish?

Any dish or sheet pan that holds the bundles in a single layer will do. Crowding them into a smaller dish traps steam, so the prosciutto won't crisp and the cheese won't brown.

What's the most common mistake with this dish?

Skipping the ice water bath is the usual one, since the asparagus then keeps cooking in the oven and loses its color. Overbaking is the other, so pull the dish once the butter sizzles and the cheese turns golden.