Golden Asparagus & Prosciutto Bundles
Submitted by ncmorros
Pan-fried asparagus spears wrapped in prosciutto, dredged in flour, and dipped in egg for a golden, crispy coating. An elegant Italian appetizer that turns simple asparagus into something special.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
30 minREADY
40 minThese Italian-style asparagus bundles take a few extra steps beyond the usual roasted spears, and the payoff is worth it. Blanched asparagus gets wrapped in thin slices of prosciutto, dredged in flour, dipped in beaten egg, and pan-fried in butter until the coating turns golden and crisp.
Blanching first is key. The asparagus needs to be barely tender before wrapping, because the frying step is quick and only crisps the outside. Raw asparagus wrapped in prosciutto won’t cook through in 4 minutes of pan-frying. Shock them in cold water after blanching to stop the cooking and keep that bright green color.
The flour-then-egg dredge creates a thin, delicate crust that holds the prosciutto tight against the asparagus. It’s not a heavy batter, just enough to give each bundle a crisp, golden shell that shatters when you bite through to the tender spear inside.
Pro Tips
- Pat the asparagus completely dry after blanching. Wet spears won’t hold the flour, and the coating will slide off.
- Fry in batches so the pan doesn’t get crowded. Too many bundles at once drops the temperature and steams instead of fries.
- Use a mix of butter and oil for frying. The oil raises the smoke point so the butter browns without burning.
- Serve immediately. These lose their crispness fast as they sit.
Variations
- Wrap with thinly sliced Serrano ham for a Spanish twist.
- Add a thin slice of fontina or mozzarella inside the prosciutto wrap before dredging for a melty cheese center.
- Squeeze lemon over the finished bundles for a bright, acidic contrast to the rich butter and salty prosciutto.
Ingredients
Directions
Fill a large, high sided skillet with salted water and bring to a boil.
Add the asparagus and cook until barely tender, about 10 minutes.
Drain in a colander, refresh under cold water and drain again.
Pat dry and spread on a platter.
In a small saucepan, melt 3 tablespoon of the butter.
Drizzle it over the asparagus.
Wrap 1 piece of prosciutto around the middle of 1 thick or 2 thin asparagus stalks.
Place the flour on a plate.
Beat the eggs in a wide shallow bowl.
Roll one of the asparagus bundles in the flour, then dip in the egg and return to the platter.
Repeat with the remaining bundles.
In a large skillet, heat the remaining 3 tablespoon butter and the oil over moderate heat.
Working in batches, add the asparagus bundles and fry, turning once, until golden, about 4 minutes.
Drain on paper towels; serve at once.
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