Murphy & Jodi recently had THE BEST party food, Crispy Asparagus Straws — From “Martha Stewart’s Hors d’Oeuvres Handbook.”
Makes 2 dozen straws
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 5-8 minutes
Ingredients
- 24 asparagus spears, woody ends trimmed
- 6 sheets of phyllo dough, thawed if frozen
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 12 thin slices of prosciutto (about 6 ounces total), cut in half crosswise
- 4 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated on the medium holes of a box grater
Directions
Place the asparagus in a steamer basket over 1 inch of boiling water. Cover tightly and steam until just al dente and bright green, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a colander to cool.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees with the rack in the center. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Place 1 sheet of phyllo on a dry surface. Keep the remaining sheets covered with a clean, slightly damp towel. Brush the 1 sheet lightly with melted butter and cut into 4 rectangular pieces, each 5 by 7 inches.
Place 1 piece of prosciutto on the phyllo, lining it up along 1 short edge of the rectangle. Arrange an asparagus spear on the top of the prosciutto along the same short edge of the rectangle, letting the tip lay exposed beyond the top edge of the dough by 3/4 inch or so. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon Parmesan. Roll up and secure the edge of the dough with additional butter, if necessary. Repeat with the remaining ingredients, transferring the straws on the prepared baking sheet. The straws may be made 1 to 2 hours ahead up to this point, covered with plastic wrap, and refrigerated.
Before baking, sprinkle the tops of the straws with the remaining cheese. Cover the asparagus tips with foil to protect them from the heat. Bake until golden brown, 5-8 minutes. Serve either whole or in bite-size pieces.
Note: Choose thicker green, purple or white asparagus with tightly closed tips; pencil-thin asparagus will overcook in the oven.
