It’s officially appetizer season, and boy do I have the appetizer for YOU! I discovered/created this recipe by accident one day, when I was trying to make these. Apparently my brain didn’t come to the grocery store with me, because I accidentally bought phyllo dough, instead of puff pastry. Turns out, these parmesan asparagus wraps were incredible, and a new appetizer was born.
Now, I will admit, while simple, they are time consuming. Tying the little twine ties is a pain. The butter brushing must be done slowly, methodically, or you’ll tear the phyllo. However, they’re so. freaking. good. you’ll forget all about that when your guests are singing your praises. Also…the little ties make everyone feel fancy.
TIP: Cover your phyllo dough with a damp dishtowel while you are working with each individual wrap. It will dry out quickly and become unusable!
Turns out, these parmesan asparagus wraps were incredible…a new appetizer was born.
I also want to warn you, that you’ll need to make 2-3x the amount you initially think you should make. Every time I serve these they are gone within the first few minutes of the party. People ask for more, and I hate to turn them away asparagus-less.
Perhaps the best part about this recipe is that it’s perfect in any season, and it can also be adjusted to suit your style. Switch up the type of cheese, skip the meat, add a bit of spice, the options are endless!
Parmesan Asparagus Wraps
Equipment
- Food-safe twine
- Pastry brush
Ingredients
- 24 pieces Asparagus
- 24 pieces Ham or Prosciutto I like to use lunch meat slices
- 2 packages Phyllo Dough
- 1 Cup Parmesan Cheese shaved, grated, or crumbled
- 3/4 Cup Butter melted
- Cracked Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Lightly grease two sheet pans
Blanch the Asparagus
- Break the bottoms of the asparagus off at the natural breaking point. (If you've never done this, every stalk of asparagus will break naturally if you bend it near the bottom)
- Prepare a large bowl of ice water, set aside.
- Boil asparagus for 2-3 minutes, then remove from hot water immediately and place in the bowl of ice water.
- Dry asparagus completely and set aside.
Prepare the Wraps
- In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter completely.
- Lay out two single sheets of phyllo dough, and brush with butter. Sprinkle with cheese & pepper, lay desired amount of ham or prosciutto down, place one piece of asparagus at the top and tightly roll the asparagus in the phyllo sheet.
- Measure out a length of twine to tie around the wrap in a double knot. When you have the right length figured out, cut as many pieces as you will need, approximately 24.
- Repeat this process until you've finished all the pieces of asparagus. Line each pan with the asparagus evenly distributed about an inch apart.
- Brush the tops of the wraps with the remaining butter, and bake for 20 minutes on the middle rack, until golden brown. Serve hot.
Notes
If you’re looking for other delicious ways to get a party started, try my favorite go-to appetizer, it’s fast, healthy, and will also keep people coming back to your get-togethers. Meanwhile, if you try these asparagus wraps, let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
