Description
Easier and faster than roasted or baked asparagus, this “edible ivory” as it’s called in Italy, is the perfect way to cook and enjoy the famous delicacy, white asparagus! With its crunchy, porky twist, it’ll have everyone asking for seconds!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 bunch of white asparagus (about 9–10 spears)
- 1 ounce prosciutto cotto or pancetta, thinly sliced (30g)
- 1/2–1 tablespoon olive oil (7-14g)
- Grana Padano cheese or Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly grated (*for sprinkling over tops of cooked asparagus)
- salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the asparagus. Wash the asparagus and peel each stalk with a vegetable peeler from the bottom to the top, leaving the tips untouched and unpeeled. Wrap the bundle of asparagus with butcher’s twine to secure them and allow them to stand upright. Place two chopsticks or skewers strategically in between the tied asparagus to create an “X” shape that will rest on the sides of the pot and help keep the bundle from falling over during cooking time.*see photos below
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Cook the asparagus. In an asparagus pot (or another narrow and tall pot), fill it 2/3 full with lightly salted water and bring to a boil. Add the bundled asparagus and cook for 10 minutes never allowing the tips to come into contact with the water. When finished cooking, remove from the water, cut the butcher’s twine off, and set aside while you prepare the prosciutto.
- Prepare the prosciutto. While the asparagus is cooking, heat a cast-iron or other heavy-bottomed skillet to medium-high heat and add the olive oil and prosciutto cotto and cook 4-5 minutes until it starts to brown. Add the cooked asparagus in a single layer to the hot pan and do not move them again for a few minutes until the spears begin to brown on the first side. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and turn them over to brown on the other side. Once both sides are nicely browned, remove them from the heat, sprinkle with grated cheese, and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
- How to time the cooking perfectly. The asparagus will continue cooking once you’ve removed it from the boiling water, so in order to make sure it doesn’t overcook be sure to start cooking the prosciutto during the last 5 minutes of asparagus cooking time, strain, and remove them straight to the hot skillet from the boiling water.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Side Dishes
- Method: Skillet
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5 spears
