Asparagus Appetizers in Phyllo Dough
September 9, 2014 
I made these for my son's graduation open house this past spring and they were such a big hit. So many people wanted the recipe that I thought I would go ahead and share it here. These are outrageously tasty and crunchy and very easy to make. The phyllo is brushed with good mustard and sprinkled with Asiago cheese and then rolled up with asparagus. The best part about these is that they can be assembled a day ahead, refrigerated and then just baked the next day right before serving - my kind of recipe! And you don't even have to precook the asparagus - I just use them raw in the assembly. I even made a video to show you how fast and easy these are to whip up.
These are made with frozen phyllo dough. If you have never used phyllo dough, don't be intimidated. They are very delicate but this recipe is very forgiving and it just doesn't matter if you tear the sheets a little, because it all gets wrapped up. The best way to use phyllo is to put a roll in the fridge the night before you need it and let it defrost that way. The box of phyllo contains two rolls. You will just need one for this recipe. Leave the other in the freezer. When working with phyllo, roll it out flat and cover with a couple of sheets of damp paper towel. This is very important, because the phyllo dries out easily.
Asparagus Appetizers in Phyllo Dough
makes about 20
for a printable recipe click here
You can either use one fat asparagus spear or two thin ones.
Ingredients:
- 1 bunch of asparagus (I had 42 thin spears in my bunch), washed and dried
- 1 roll thawed phyllo sheets (best way to thaw is to put a roll in your fridge the night before)
- 4 tablespoons of butter, melted
- ¼ cup good mustard (we love Mike's Mustard from Michigan)
- salt (the salt is optional - omit if you are using a salty cheese)
- freshly ground pepper (I actually like to use Montreal Steak Seasoning)
- 4 tablespoons Asiago Cheese (or whatever kind of cheese you like)
Instructions:
Trim the tough ends off the asparagus spears.
Unroll the thawed phyllo sheet roll on your counter and place a couple of damp paper towels over the top so they don't dry out.
On a large cutting board, place two of the phyllo sheets (if you accidentally grab three sheets, and can't get them apart, don't worry about it. It won't matter. Also - if you rip a hole in one of the sheets, it won't matter either. It all just gets rolled up and you will never tell.) Brush some melted butter over the entire top sheet. Brush some of the mustard on the sheet. Sprinkle with a little salt (if you are using) and the pepper. Sprinkle a heaping tablespoon of the cheese all over the sheet.
With a very sharp paring knife, cut the sheet in half. Cut each half in half. Place two asparagus spears on each piece of phyllo and roll up. Place on a parchment (or foil) lined baking sheet. Brush the tops with some melted butter and sprinkle additional seasoning on top.
Repeat until all your asparagus is used. You can refreeze any unused phyllo sheets if you want, as long as you haven't let them dry out. Just roll up with plastic wrap and seal tightly.
At this point, you can cover with plastic wrap and place the baking sheets in the fridge until you are ready to bake them. You can even assembble these the day before. When you are ready to cook them, bake them in the oven at 375° F for about 15 - 20 minutes until golden brown (rotate pans halfway through if you don't have a convection oven).
Serve warm or at room temperature. Serve extra mustard on the side for dipping if you want.
Reader Comments (6)
Wow, these look tasty! Have you ever made a sauce to go with them, or are they best on their own?
http://togetherinitaly.com/
I just made these for a card party of 20 and they were a big hit!! You may even have a few new blog readers. :) Thanks for posting the recipe (and my dad and I agree on the mustard, didn't know you were from Michigan, we are too! Lansing)
Guadagna auto gratuitamente! Basta andare sul nostro sito: http://realive.it
Spell 'filo pastry' correctly and you'll get more hits!
What a wonderful sight. I am happy to have found a good Italian recipe sight that feels like home. I am looking forward to trying your recipes! Thank you for a well put together sight with colorful pictures of yummy food. I am sure that you make everyone feel at home when they come for dinner.
Thank you and sending many blessing.
Laura
The spelling of phyllo dough is correct or shortened to fillo. Your recipe is fantastic, thanks for sharing. Carolee