Get the Recipe: Asparagus Puff Pastry with Cheese Sauce
Prosciutto-wrapped asparagus, baked in puff pastry and served with a warm aged cheddar sauce. A great appetizer for Easter or a special brunch.
Ingredients
For the puff pastry asparagus:
- 1 lb puff pastry, thawed
- 2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 1/2 cups aged cheddar cheese, shredded
- 24-40 spears asparagus, (3-5 spears per pastry), woody ends trimmed off
- olive oil, for brushing asparagus
- 8 slices prosciutto, optional
For the egg wash:
- 1 large egg, beaten
For the cheese sauce:
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard powder
- 1 cup milk, 2-3% recommended
- 2 cups aged cheddar cheese, grated
- salt and freshly ground pepper
- pinch nutmeg
Instructions
For the cheese sauce (can be made ahead):
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
- Once the butter is melted, add the flour and dry mustard. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute. The mixture will be thick and clumpy.
- Using a whisk, slowly add the milk while whisking continuously. Whisk the mixture until smooth. Cook the sauce, whisking regularly, until the sauce visibly thickens.
- Remove the pot from the heat and add the cheese. Stir until the cheese is completely melted into the sauce. Season the sauce with salt and pepper and a grating of nutmeg. Keep warm over low heat to use immediately or refrigerate for up to 3 days. Rewarm over low heat in a saucepan, adding a splash of milk if needed to thin the sauce, if needed.
For the asparagus puff pastries:
- Preheat the oven to 400F (non-convection/not fan-assisted). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Cut the puff pastry into 8 equal pieces (5x5 to 6x6 inch-ish squares). Take one piece of puff pastry and brush or spread a thin layer of Dijon mustard in a strip roughly 1-inch wide, running from one corner to the opposite corner. Sprinkle some shredded cheese over the Dijon mustard (3-4 Tablespoons of cheese each).
- Take 3-5 asparagus spears and brush lightly with olive oil. (Use 3 for thicker asparagus or 5 for thinner asparagus.) Wrap the middle of the asparagus bundle with prosciutto (if using). Place the asparagus on top of the shredded cheese, with the tips and stalks of the asparagus extending past the top and bottom of the pastry square.
- With a pastry brush, brush a little of the beaten egg onto the uncovered corners of the puff pastry. Fold the corners over the asparagus, overlapping them to wrap tightly. Place onto the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining puff pastry squares. (You can assemble the puff pastries, cover and refrigerate for several hours before baking.)
- When all the pastries are ready to bake, brush the puff pastry with the beaten egg and sprinkle with a bit of salt and freshly ground pepper.
- Bake in the preheated oven until puffy and golden, about 15-20 minutes. Serve warm with warm cheese sauce spooned over the centre of the pastries. Season with a bit more freshly ground pepper.
Refer to the step-by-step photos for this post to see how the asparagus puff pastries are assembled.
Notes
Be sure to check out the step-by-step photos above this Recipe Card to watch how these pastries are assembled.
Serving: 1pastry, Calories: 596kcal, Carbohydrates: 30g, Protein: 18g, Fat: 45g, Saturated Fat: 18g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 18g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 64mg, Sodium: 593mg, Potassium: 151mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 670IU, Vitamin C: 0.2mg, Calcium: 397mg, Iron: 2mg
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