Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus

Well, the computer issues are definitely NOT resolved. Sigh. At least my old, old laptop has decided not to fail me. It is, however, challenging getting my pictures on here. I was at least able to get at my Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus photos. Hopefully, I can get at a few more over the next few days...

So, these little babies are super, duper good. Roasted veggies are in themselves divine, but when you wrap a little dry cured meat around them, they are truly out of this world. And they are so quick and easy. Many vegetables take a bit of time to roast, but this in not the case with asparagus. In only 25 minutes of oven time, you can have these things ready to serve... of course, that's assuming you are willing to share!

Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus
Yield: varies

fresh asparagus (whatever amount you need/want)
thinly sliced Prosciutto (1 slice for every 2 spears)
fresh ground pepper

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Prepare a foil lined baking sheet. Wash and trim the ends of the asparagus. Cut the Prosciutto slices in half. Wrap the Prosciutto around the middle of each spear as shown in the picture. Ideally, the meat should cover at least two-thirds of the spear. Lay the spears out on your baking sheet, being sure not to crowd the sheet. Sprinkle with pepper and then place in the oven for 25-30 minutes, until the Prosciutto is nicely crisped and the asparagus is browned and soft. Because the Prosciutto is so salty, I do not find any additional salt necessary. Serve hot or at room temperature. These guys make great appetizers.

Lastly, I have found that there are two types of Prosciutto in existence. The first is the bane of my existence and I hate it; with this type, the slices always stick together and come apart in pieces when you try and separate them. For the longest time, I just thought that was the nature of the beast. But I now know that this is not the case... there is Prosciutto out there that is charming to work with and you should just keep trying different brands until you find one that works well for you. Of course, if you only have one brand to choose from at your store, remember: "It is better to have Prosciutto and be frustrated than to never have Prosciutto at all!"