We usually don’t keep prosciutto in the house because I find a way to incorporate it in everything I eat. Over the holidays we did a lot of entertaining, I had some left over and decided to make one of my favorite appetizers. It is a delicious combination of asparagus, cream cheese and prosciutto. It was first introduced to me at a summer dinner party that my husband and I were hosting, one of the couples that lives in our neighborhood brought it over and it has been a favorite ever since. It is so simple to make and everyone loves it.
You will need one container of cream cheese, and an equal ratio of asparagus spears and prosciutto slices. I usually buy a bunch of asparagus spears and quickly count them and head over to the charcuterie for the prosciutto. I usually sample the prosciutto because the degree of saltiness varies significantly and you don’t want anything with too much salt. Ask for the thinnest slice possible, but not too thin so it doesn’t fall apart. How the prosciutto is packaged is very important, ask for it to be layered with a sheet of wax paper in between each slice so it doesn’t stick together.
Spread approximately one tablespoon of cream cheese on to the prosciutto. If you are using cream cheese directly from the refrigerator, warm it in a microwave for about 20 seconds to make spreading it easier.
Place one asparagus spear on the widest end of the prosciutto slice and roll it to the end.
Bake in a pre-heated 400º degree oven for 10-15 minutes until the prosciutto is crispy. Serve immediately.
