Just in case you are tired of eating the recent bounty of fresh local asparagus raw in salads or lightly grilled, make asparagus involtini, easy and delicious!
| 1 bnch | asparagus, trimmed (about 30 stems) |
| 16 slices | or shavings, Montasio, or Asiago (each a bit smaller than the prosciutto slices) |
| 16 slices | prosciutto |
| 1 T | unsalted butter |
| 1 T | extra virgin olive oil |
| fresh-cracked black pepper and torn basil leaves, for garnish |
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Add asparagus to boiling water; cook, stirring occasionally, until bright green and crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain asparagus and plunge into the ice bath; let stand until thoroughly chilled, about 2 minutes. Drain and pat dry.
Place 1 slice of prosciutto on a cutting board or clean work surface. Place a cheese slice/shaving over the prosciutto. Place 2 asparagus spears over the cheese at the short end of the prosciutto slice. Tightly roll the prosciutto around asparagus spears, spiraling upward. Repeat process with remaining prosciutto, cheese and asparagus.
Heat the butter and the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until the butter melts and begins to foam. Add 4 or 5 asparagus rolls to skillet, seam side down, and cook until prosciutto is crisp and cheese is melted, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining asparagus rolls. Transfer to a platter; sprinkle with black pepper and basil. Serve warm.