Puff pastry parcels with asparagus and speck on a cheese cream, spring has arrived — in fact it feels even too warm — so I thought of lighter foods, like this meat-based main with asparagus (Veal roll stuffed with asparagus and savory zabaglione).
But let’s talk about these puff pastry parcels with asparagus and speck on a cheese cream, very quick to prepare, delicious, and ideal to present as an appetizer. In this recipe I then decorated them with a cheese sauce.
They can be prepared in advance, then just a moment in the oven before serving and you’re done. By the way, the main ingredient, asparagus, is a spring vegetable, therefore ideal, with many beneficial properties: detoxifying, diuretic, rich in vitamins and minerals, low in calories, so perfect for diets.
When buying asparagus pay attention to freshness: they should be firm but not woody, and check the tips — if they are tightly closed it means they are fresh.
Here are other recipes with asparagus:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Budget-friendly
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Cooking time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 12 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer
- Energy 397.24 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 19.97 (g) of which sugars 1.70 (g)
- Proteins 16.42 (g)
- Fat 28.24 (g) of which saturated 6.90 (g)of which unsaturated 15.82 (g)
- Fibers 1.36 (g)
- Sodium 512.69 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 138 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for Puff Pastry Parcels with Asparagus and Speck on Cheese Cream
- 1 roll Puff Pastry (rectangular)
- 48 Asparagus (thin stalks)
- 12 Speck (slices)
- 1 Egg
- to taste Black Pepper
- 1/2 cup Cooking cream (about 4 fl oz (125 g))
- 3.5 oz Grana Padano PDO (about 1 cup grated (100 g))
Tools
- Baking tray MasterClass KCMCGB3 Large Non-Stick Baking Tray, Carbon, Gray, 15.4 x 10.6 in
- Colander / Strainer LHKJ Multipurpose Silicone Colander, Foldable Food/Vegetable/Fruit Strainer, BPA-free (Red)
- Parchment paper Cuki Natural Parchment Paper, 13 x 15 in, 20 Sheets
Preparation of puff pastry parcels with asparagus and speck
Parcel preparation
Trim off the woody ends of the asparagus and wash them, then boil them in plenty of salted water for just a few minutes. Drain and let them cool slightly.
Cut rectangles of pastry about 2 to 3 inches (approximately 2 to 2 3/4 in). Place a slice of speck folded on itself on each pastry rectangle and 2 or 3 asparagus stalks in the center, then roll up to form a small parcel.
Press the puff pastry lightly to seal and place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake at 356°F for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, warm the cooking cream (about 1/2 cup / 125 g) over low heat and add the grated Grana Padano (about 3.5 oz / 1 cup). Stir continuously until the cheese melts and it becomes a smooth cream, then remove from the heat. Place the parcels on a plate and serve with the cheese cream.
