Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus in Puff Pastry

This prosciutto wrapped asparagus in puff pastry appetizer is a perfectly light and crispy offering fit for the holiday season. Prepared with thin asparagus spears wrapped in prosciutto, then nestled into puff pastry with sun-dried tomatoes and cheese, and baked until puffed and golden, this prosciutto wrapped asparagus recipe has wonderful flavors and festive colors of the season!

Puff Pastry Filled with Asparagus and Prosciutto

There truly is a magic in this time of year when we celebrate the holidays by gathering with friends and family around good food and drink.

We cut loose a little, and revel in the coziness and warmth of the twinkling lights and yummy treats before us, chatting and sharing, and enjoying all we have with a grateful heart.

During this time of year in particular, I really get into the spirit of preparing little hors de' oeuvres and finger foods to take the edge off before a meal, or to just enjoy on their own with drinks to keep bellies satisfied while chatting around the fire.

One of our favorites is prosciutto wrapped asparagus in puff pastry, a warm, light and crispy little package filled with savory morsels.

Each puff pastry parcel has thin asparagus spears wrapped in a delicate piece of prosciutto, with a sprinkle of sun-dried tomato and an Italian cheese blend to seal the deal.

Baked off for a short while, just until golden, puffed and deliciously crisp, this prosciutto wrapped asparagus recipe is exactly the type of easy yet scrumptious treat that the holiday season calls for!

My Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus in Puff Pastry Recipe

Preparing these delicate and delicious little parcels is not only easy, but quite fun as well.

The recipe has only a few ingredients, and using good quality, store-bought puff pastry sheets is what makes this appetizer so quick and easy.

The flavors come together to create quite the gourmet twist, without much work!

I use extra thin asparagus spears for this recipe, to keep from having to do the extra step of blanching them to make them tender.

As thin as these spears are, they soften just enough during the baking to make them crisp-tender. And if you can't find extra thin asparagus, you can always quickly blanch slightly thicker spears in simmering water for 30 seconds to soften a bit, even peel them a bit if desired.

Then, wrapping each little set of spears in the thin prosciutto is a delicious surprise, and pairs so well with the sweet and savory sun-dried tomatoes and sprinkle of Italian four cheese blend!

Here's a sneak peek at my asparagus prosciutto puff pastry recipe: (or just jump to the full recipe...)

1. To get started, I very lightly roll my thawed puff pastry sheet just a bit to thin it, then cut it into 12 squares. I repeat the process with the other puff pastry sheet.
2. Next, I wrap the asparagus in the prosciutto, place it onto the piece of puff pastry, adding in some julienned, sun-dried tomato and a sprinkle of cheese.
3. Then, I fold the puff pastry over the filling and seal, placing onto a baking sheet to hold. I repeat until all puff pastry squares are filled.
4. Next, I egg wash each puff pastry before placing them in a preheated 400° oven.
5. Finally, I bake the asparagus prosciutto puff pastry for roughly 20 minutes, until golden and puffed, place onto a platter, and serve warm or room temp.

Recipe

Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus in Puff Pastry

by Ingrid Beer

Print Recipe

This prosciutto wrapped asparagus puff pastry appetizer, with sun-dried tomatoes and an Italian cheese blend, is filled with savory flavors!

Category: Appetizer
Cuisine: Italian-American

Yield: 24 prosciutto wrapped asparagus puff pastries

Nutrition Info: 116 calories (per puff pastry)

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 puff pastry sheets (roughly one, 17 ounce box), thawed but kept cold in fridge
• 24 extra-thin asparagus spears (tough, stalky bottoms trimmed off), cut in half
• 6 slices prosciutto, quartered to create 24 smaller pieces/strips
• ¼ cup julienned, sun-dried tomatoes (not oil-packed)
• 1 ¼ cup Italian four-cheese blend
• 1 egg, beaten with a tablespoon of water, for egg wash

Preparation:

1. Begin by gathering and prepping all of your ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
2. Preheat the oven to 400°, and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
3. Place one sheet of cold, thawed puff pastry on a work surface in front of you (keep the other puff pastry sheet wrapped up and cold in the fridge), and roll out just a little bit to slightly thin out the dough.
4. Cut the sheet into thirds vertically, then into fourths horizontally making 12 pieces/squares.
5. Take two pieces of asparagus (a spear tip and a bottom half), and wrap them in a little piece of prosciutto. Place a puff pastry square in front of you with a point towards you (like a diamond shape), and place the prosciutto-wrapped asparagus just above that point, horizontally.
6. Sprinkle a couple of pieces of julienned sun-dried tomatoes next to the asparagus, and sprinkle over a little of the cheese. Then, fold the point over the filling and roll upwards finishing with a little egg wash to seal the seam closed, and form a little parcel. Place onto one of the prepared baking sheets.
7. Repeat the process with the remaining 11 squares, then place the baking sheet into the fridge to keep cold while you repeat the process with the remaining sheet of puff pastry.
8. When both baking sheets are filled, brush a little of the egg wash over each of the puff pastry parcels, and bake for about 20 minutes, or until golden-brown.
9. Place onto a platter and serve while hot and fresh, or at room temp.

Tips & Tidbits for my Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus in Puff Pastry recipe:

• All-butter puff pastry sheets for better flavor: If you can find them, opt for all-butter puff pastry sheets here. The flavor and quality is terrific, and there's a good chance you will be able to find these puff pastry sheets at your local market. But if you cannot find all-butter, feel free to use the puff pastry sheets you have available to you.
• Extra-thin asparagus spears: If you can find extra-thin spears of asparagus, choose those for this puff pastry recipe. Thin spears do not need pre-cooking, and will become crisp yet tender when baked. If you can only find medium thickness spears, then feel free to peel them first and blanch in salted, simmering water for 30 seconds to 1 minute, then shock them in ice water and dry before proceeding.
• Prepare this puff pastry recipe ahead: You can easily prep this recipe ahead by filling and wrapping the puff pastry parcels, then placing them onto a baking sheet to hold. Cover with plastic wrap and keep cold in the fridge, then once ready to serve, simply egg wash and bake off.

Hungry for more cozy and mouthwatering appetizers? Check out my recipe for Baked Brie with Caramelized Onions, Sausage Pinwheels, French Onion Mushroom Tart, my Cheese Ball Recipe, or my recipe for Parmesan Asparagus or Stuffed Mushrooms!

Cook's Note: This recipe was originally published in 2014, and has been updated with even more love!