Tortellini Salad with Asiago, Peas and Proscuitto

Tortellini was a new food to me when we moved here to the Chicago area years ago ~ it was absolutely love at first bite!

The legend of tortellini is a little amusing: 

Sautéed Asparagus w/Prosciutto

A sure sign of Spring, is when you see a plethora of fresh asparagus at the market!

We’re big fans of asparagus here and vegetables don’t get much better, nor easier than this.  This time it’s decked out with a little garlic, wine, prosciutto and lemon pepper.  Swap out a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar for the wine, if you prefer, and maybe add a sprinkling of shaved Parmesan cheese to the finished dish. 

This is a scrumptious spring veggie dish and I hope you like it as much as we do!

Sautéed Asparagus w/Prosciutto

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons butter
4 ounces sliced prosciutto, torn into bite-size pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons dry white wine
2 pounds fresh asparagus, trimmed
½ teaspoon lemon pepper

Method:

Slice asparagus on a sharp diagonal about 2-inches long, leaving the tips whole.

Heat oil and butter in a non-stick skillet over medium heat.

Sauté garlic for a minute, stirring frequently.
Stir in wine.
Add asparagus and prosciutto, toss to mix.
Cook, tossing occasionally, until asparagus is bright green and crisp-tender, about 10 minutes, depending upon thickness.
Season with salt and lemon pepper.
Serves 4-6

ENJOY!

Prosciutto Mozzarella Roll-ups

Antipasto

Anton Arkhipov

This unique appetizer combines several great Italian flavors into a single bite for a tasty appetizer!  It includes mozzarella balls, fresh basil leaves and cherry tomatoes wrapped up in a slice of prosciutto, the heavenly spicy Italian ham.  They are so very easy to make and so very delicious!

If your grocery store has an antipasti or olive bar, you should be able to find the mozzarella balls there.  But, if it is your lucky day and you come across marinated mozzarella balls, that is even better and you better rush out and buy a lottery ticket!  However; if you can not find them, just cut the mozzarella into bite-size chunks the size of half of a cherry tomato. 

Using lean prosciutto makes them hold together easier as you roll them and depending on the size, it may be better to slice the prosciutto into thirds lengthwise, thereby giving you more servings also.  The sliced prosciutto should be about the width of the cherry tomatoes and the mozzarella balls. 

Prosciutto Mozzarella Roll-ups

Ingredients:

8 thin slices lean prosciutto, halved lengthwise

8 large basil leaves, torn in half or 16 smaller ones

8 small, 1” diameter, mozzarella balls, preferably marinated

8 cherry tomatoes, halved

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, optional

Method:

Place a slice of prosciutto on a cutting board, lay a basil leaf on top at one end of the slice.

Top the basil with a mozzarella ball and tomato, matching the cut sides to make a ball.

Sprinkle very lightly with salt and liberally with fresh ground pepper.

Roll up the ball in the prosciutto.

Secure the ball with a toothpick.

Repeat as above with the remaining prosciutto, mozzarella and tomatoes.

Arrange them on a serving plate, drizzle with the olive oil and serve.

(They will keep at room temperature for an hour before serving.)

Note:  This recipe does not require marinated mozzarella balls but, since they really add to the flavor, do the following to make them yourself:  Mix together, Italian vinaigrette, a little pimento or roasted red pepper and add the mozzarella.  Let the mixture marinate in the refrigerator for a day or two before serving. 

This will be a great appetizer for your New Year’s Eve party!

Enjoy!