This appetizer consists of barely blanched or roasted asparagus tangled up with baby greens, lightly dressed in lemon and olive oil and all rolled up like Italian sushi. The only key to this recipe is making sure you get prosciutto that's cut well; if it's tattered and torn, you won't be able to get the chiffon-thin sheets to layer well.

Serves 4

Ingredients


  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1 pound pencil-thin asparagus, trimmed
  • 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest
  • 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • A couple handfuls baby or wild arugula
  • 16 thin slices prosciutto (about 1/2 pound), each about 8 inches long

    Directions


    Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the asparagus to the pot and cook until bright green and just tender, about 3 minutes, depending on thickness. Drain the asparagus and run it immediately under cold water to stop the cooking process.

    In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt and pepper. Add the arugula and asparagus spears to the bowl and toss gently to coat, being careful not to snap the asparagus.

    On a large cutting board or work surface, arrange 4 slices of the prosciutto vertically and slightly overlapping to form a rectangle, about 6 by 8 inches. Lay one-quarter of the dressed arugula and asparagus horizontally across the prosciutto on the end closest to you. Tightly roll up the prosciutto as you would a jelly-roll, being sure to keep the vegetables evenly distributed.

    Cut the rolls on the bias into 8 pieces. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.

    From Truly Madly Pizza (Rodale) by Suzanne Lenzer.
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