Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus

A winning combination of asparagus and prosciutto makes a fabulous finger food appetizer with a ton of flavour!

Thick spears of fresh local asparagus are wrapped with salty prosciutto and grilled until the asparagus is tender and the prosciutto crisps. A drizzle of grilled lemon juice finishes them off. Simple is better and you won’t be disappointed.

Only 5 ingredients are required for this recipe and that includes the black pepper and olive oil! Be sure and look for thicker asparagus spears as they hold up better when being wrapped and grilled.

Black pepper garnish on salty prosciutto is a classic pairing. I like to use a generous amount of coarsely ground black pepper for this recipe. You want to be able to see it and taste the sharp pungent pepper granules on each spear.

How to serve

You can serve the prosciutto wrapped asparagus hot off the grill or at room temperature. Serve them as a finger food appetizer, side dish, or arranged on a charcuterie board along with a variety of cheeses, olives, crackers, figs, and nuts. Whichever way, they’ll disappear fast!

Asparagus

There’s nothing better than fresh and delicious local asparagus. By the end of May asparagus is available in Ontario at Farmer’s Markets and groceries stores. It’s one of the first vegetables of the season to be harvested and lasts to the end of June, sometimes into July. I love asparagus and it can be used in so many ways! Roasted, grilled, steamed, shaved in salads, cooked in soups, frittatas, tarts, stir-frys, or pasta dishes; the possibilities are endless!

Not only is asparagus tasty, but is also low in calories and a leading source of nutrients. For some fun facts about asparagus and the nutrition, it contains check out this page: Ontario Asparagus.

Prosciutto

Prosciutto is an Italian dried cured ham that’s sliced thinly. Since prosciutto is naturally salty, there’s no need to add salt to this recipe. Prosciutto is best when sliced thinly in which case it will melt in your mouth. In my Italian family, we use prosciutto often as part of an antipasto starter, charcuterie board, sandwiches and for many other recipes. It’s my favourite deli meat.

For the best flavour, look for good quality prosciutto imported from Italy. Ask the server at your deli to slice full slices of prosciutto very thinly (but not shaved) making sure each slice stays together. Also, ask the server to place a sheet of deli paper in between each slice to guarantee the slices won’t stick together when pulling off each one.

What if I don’t have a grill?

If you don’t have an outdoor grill you can easily broil these prosciutto wrapped asparagus in the oven. The recipe provides the directions for doing this. If using this method, be sure and keep your eye on them and adjust the cooking time as necessary.

This recipe makes 12 spears but it’s so easy to increase the number of spears; just do some simple math!

Recipe

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Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus

Thick spears of asparagus are wrapped with prosciutto and grilled until the asparagus is tender and the prosciutto crisps. A drizzle of grilled lemon juice finishes them off. 

Servings 12 spears

Ingredients

• 12 thin slices prosciutto
• 12 thick spears fresh asparagus
• 1 lemon, halved
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Cut each slice of prosciutto vertically for 24 pieces in total. You will be using 2 pieces per asparagus spear.

2. Gently wash and dry the asparagus spears. Trim off the tough woody ends.

3. Using 2 strips of prosciutto per asparagus spear, tightly wrap each spear with one strip at a time (going around a few times) leaving both the tips and ends of the asparagus exposed. 

4. Place asparagus spears and lemon halves on a plate. Drizzle asparagus with olive oil and sprinkle with black pepper. Also, drizzle the cut lemon halves with olive oil. Note there is no salt in this recipe by design as the prosciutto itself is very salty.

5. Preheat the BBQ grill to medium-high. Arrange the asparagus crosswise on the grill (so they won’t fall through the grates) and place the lemons cut side down on the grill. Grill for a total of 7 - 9 minutes turning often until the asparagus is tender, the prosciutto crisps and the lemons charred. The total grilling time will depend on how thick the asparagus spears are.

6. Transfer grilled asparagus and lemons to a platter. Squeeze some lemon juice from the charred lemons over the asparagus. Serve warm or at room temperature.

7. Oven Broiling Method: Preheat the oven broiler to high. Place an oven rack on the top third rungs of the oven. Transfer the spears to a foil-lined baking sheet and broil for 6 – 8 minutes, turning once, until the asparagus is tender and the prosciutto is crisp. Keep your eye on them while broiling.