Asparagus and prosciutto are a great combination. They're great on their own. And they also work very well together in other dishes like pasta or this easy frittata.

Asparagus & Prosciutto Frittata

Slightly adapted from The Breakfast Bible by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 250g asparagus, trimmed and cut into 5cm pieces
• 1-2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 100g prosciutto, chopped
• 1/4 c. grated Parmesan
• 10 large eggs
• 2 Tbsp. milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F).
2. Steam the asparagus until just tender.
3. Heat olive oil over medium heat.
4. Add onion and season with salt and pepper.
5. Cook until softened (~6 minutes).
6. Add garlic and cook for another minute or two.
7. Add asparagus and prosciutto and spread into an even layer.
8. Beat eggs with milk and cheese and season with salt and pepper.
9. Pour into pan and cook, without stirring, for 2 minutes.
10. Transfer to oven and bake until eggs are set (~12 minutes).
11. If top is not quite done, place under broiler for a minute or two.
12. Invert onto plate, cut into wedges, and serve.

I picked up some prosciutto on a whim the other day. It was on sale and I figured someone would find a use for it.

As it turns out, I was a bit underprepared for breakfast the next day, so the prosciutto ended up coming in handy almost immediately. As usual, we had a huge surplus of eggs, so this worked out quite well!

Baked Eggs with Prosciutto and Spinach

Slightly adapted from The Breakfast Bible by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 100g prosciutto, chopped
• 680g chopped frozen spinach, thawed
• 3/4 c. + 6-8 tsp. heavy (35%) cream, divided
• salt and pepper, to taste
• ground nutmeg
• 6-8 large eggs¹
• 6-8 tsp. grated Parmesan

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) and butter 6-8 ramekins (depending on how many eggs you'd like to prepare).
2. Heat the oilve oil over medium heat.
3. Add the prosciutto and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat softens (2-3 minutes).
4. Add the spinach and 3/4 c. of the cream, bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring often, until thickened (5-6 minutes).
5. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
6. Divide the spinach mixture evenly among the ramekins and crack an egg into each one.
7. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and top each with 1 tsp. of cream.
8. Place on rimmed baking sheet and bake at 180°C (350°F) until whites are set, but yolks are still soft (~15 minutes).
9. Remove from oven and top each egg with 1 tsp. of Parmesan.

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¹ The original recipe only called for four eggs, but they must've been using absolutely massive ramekins! I wouldn't even have been able to fit all the spinach into four ramekins/custard cups, let alone add an egg on top! I actually ended up doing 7 eggs for my rendition, but I think I could have squeezed everything into six ramekins and just gone with a slightly higher spinach:egg ratio. I also think it would've been fine to nudge the spinach per egg down a bit and do eight eggs. So, go for whichever approach best suits your needs. ^Back

I had a bunch of extra basil to use up and this frittata has been on my short list for a while, so it seemed like a good fit. It's very simple, but it was tasty nonetheless. There are also several variations provided. The asparagus-ham version sounds particularly appealing...

Parmesan and Basil Frittata

Slightly adapted from Cook's Country August/September 2015

Ingredients

• 12 large eggs¹
• 3/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 c. whole milk²
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 230°C (350°F).
2. Whisk the eggs with the Parmesan, basil, milk, salt, and pepper.
3. Heat the oil over medium heat.
4. Add the egg mixture and cook, stirring with a spatula, until large curds form and the spatula leaves a wake in the pan. (Egss should be clumpy, but still very wet.)
5. Shake the pan to even out the eggs and cook, without stirring, for ~30 seconds.
6. Transfer to oven and bake until puffy (~5 minutes).
7. If you would like the top more browned, turn on the broiler and cook for 1 more minute.
8. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
9. Use the spatula to loosen the frittata and slide it onto a plate. Cut into wedges and serve.

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Variants

Asparagus, Ham, and Gruyère Frittata

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 250g asparagus, trimmed and cut into 5mm pieces
• 100g deli ham, cut into 1cm pieces
• 1 shallot, minced
• 12 large eggs¹
• 3/4 c. shredded Gruyère
• 1/4 c. whole milk²
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns, ground

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 230°C (350°F).
2. Heat the oil over medium heat.
3. Add the asparagus and cook until lightly browned (~3 minutes).
4. Add the ham and shallot and cook until softened (2-3 minutes).
5. Meanwhile whisk the eggs with the gruyère, milk, salt, and pepper.
6. Add the egg mixture and cook, stirring with a spatula, until large curds form and the spatula leaves a wake in the pan. (Egss should be clumpy, but still very wet.)
7. Shake the pan to even out the eggs and cook, without stirring, for ~30 seconds.
8. Transfer to oven and bake until puffy (~5 minutes).
9. If you would like the top more browned, turn on the broiler and cook for 1 more minute.
10. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
11. Use the spatula to loosen the frittata and slide it onto a plate. Cut into wedges and serve.

Leek, Prosciutto, and Goat Cheese Frittata

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 leeks
• 85g thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into 1cm pieces
• 12 large eggs¹
• 1 c. crumbled goat cheese
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 c. whole milk²
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns, ground

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 230°C (350°F).
2. Trim and halve the leeks lengthwise, wash them very thoroughly, and slice thinly.
3. Heat the oil over medium heat.
4. Add the leeks and cook, covered, until softened (6-8 minutes).
5. Meanwhile whisk the eggs with the goat cheese, basil, milk, salt, and pepper.
6. Add the proscuitto and the egg mixture and cook, stirring with a spatula, until large curds form and the spatula leaves a wake in the pan. (Egss should be clumpy, but still very wet.)
7. Shake the pan to even out the eggs and cook, without stirring, for ~30 seconds.
8. Transfer to oven and bake until puffy (~5 minutes).
9. If you would like the top more browned, turn on the broiler and cook for 1 more minute.
10. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
11. Use the spatula to loosen the frittata and slide it onto a plate. Cut into wedges and serve.

Mushroom and Chive Frittata

Leek, Prosciutto, and Goat Cheese Frittata

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 280g cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 170g shiitake mushooms, stemmed and sliced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 12 large eggs¹
• 3/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh chives
• 1/4 c. whole milk²
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 230°C (350°F).
2. Heat the oil over medium heat.
3. Add the both kinds of mushrooms and the onion and cook until dry and lightly browned (~15 minutes).
4. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs with the Parmesan, chives, milk, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
5. Add the garlic and cook for 30-60 seconds.
6. Add the egg mixture and cook, stirring with a spatula, until large curds form and the spatula leaves a wake in the pan. (Egss should be clumpy, but still very wet.)
7. Shake the pan to even out the eggs and cook, without stirring, for ~30 seconds.
8. Transfer to oven and bake until puffy (~5 minutes).
9. If you would like the top more browned, turn on the broiler and cook for 1 more minute.
10. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
11. Use the spatula to loosen the frittata and slide it onto a plate. Cut into wedges and serve.

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¹ I had some excess egg whites to use up, so I actually made this frittata with 10 eggs + 3 egg whites. ^Back
2 The original recipe calls for 3 Tbsp. of half-and-half (10% MF). I happened to have some half-and-half in the fridge this time, so I did actually use that, but normally I would just put in a bit of milk instead, so that's the way I've written it up here. ^Back

I don't normally bother trying to make toad in the hole because I find the appeal is mostly in the novelty and not the taste. I like fried eggs with nice crispy edges served on top of a good piece of buttered toast. But this fancy walnut-and-parmesan-garnished version seemed like it might be a) worth the effort and b) significantly more delicious than a plain fried egg on toast, so I figured I'd give it a go.

You can use any bread you like for this, but the author recommends seeking out something "unusual" and suggests something with olive, herbs, sun-dried tomatoes, or cheese. And, as it just so happens, I recently made a batch of tomato-basil sourdough! Aside from the loaves being a bit on the small side, they were pretty much idea for this.

Posh Toad in the Hole

Slightly adapted from The Good Egg by Marie Simmons

Ingredients

• 4 slices of bread (cut 2-3cm thick)
• 1 c. milk
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/8 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 6 large eggs, divided
• 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/4 c. walnuts, chopped
• 2-3 Tbsp. grated Parmesan
• 4 slices prosciutto

Directions

1. Cut an oval (maybe 5cm by 7cm) out of the centre of each slice of bread.
2. Whisk the milk with the salt, pepper, and two of the eggs.
3. Place the bread¹ in a shallow dish or pan and pour the custard mixture over it. Set aside and allow to soak, turning occasionally, for ~10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, cook the walnuts over medium heat until they being to change colour (~5 minutes).
5. Melt the butter with the oil over medium heat.
6. Add the soaked bread slices and cook for ~5 minutes.
7. Flip and cook for another minute or two.
8. Carefully crack an egg into a bowl and pour it into the hole in the centre of one of the bread crusts. Repeat with remaining three eggs and crusts.
9. Reduce heat to low or medium-low and cook, covered, for 7-8 minutes.
10. Sprinkle with cheese, remove from heat, and set aside.
11. Place one slice of prosciutto each on a warmed plate.
12. Place one of the toads in a hole on top of each slice of prosciutto.
13. Garnish with walnuts and serve.

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¹ The original recipe calls for only using the outer/crust part of the bread for this recipe and saving the cut-out ovals "for another use", but I just soaked them in the custard along with the crusts and cooked them up at the same time to be served on the side. Use whichever approach you prefer. ^Back

Penne al Prosciutto e Pomodori Secchi (Penne with Prosciutto, Sundried Tomatoes & Cream)

More prosciutto-based pasta! We were still out of prosciutto so we used bacon for this one (and omitted all other salt in the recipe); it worked out well. We also used vegetable tortellini rather than penne to make the meal a bit more substantial.

Penne al Prosciutto e Pomodori Secchi

The Classic Pasta Cookbook, p.117

Ingredients

• 1 lb dried penne
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 oz (56 g) prosciutto, cut into thin strips
• 2 tbsp sundried tomatoes in oil, coarsely chopped
• 1 C heavy cream
• ¼ C freshly grated parmesan
  

Directions

1. Begin boiling the water for the pasta.
2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat.
3. When the butter is melted, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it softens and turns translucent.
4. Add the prosciutto and cook until it begins to brown.
5. Add the sundried tomatoes and cream and cook until the cream has reduced by half; remove from the heat.
6. When the pasta is cooked al dente, toss with the sauce and cheese and serve.

 

Fettuccine al Prosciutto e Asparagi (Fettucini with Prosciutto and Asparagus)

I could have sworn I'd written this up before, but apparently not! It's basically just alfredo with asparagus, onion, and prosciutto, so if you've made any other "alfredo with ____" recipes you probably already have an idea how it's going to go.

I've presented it here almost as written (apart from switching from boiling to sauteeing the asparagus), but I can state from personal experience that bell peppers make a tasty addition to it, rotelle works fine as a pasta, and if you don't have any prosciutto, thinly sliced salami will do in a pinch.

Fettuccine al Prosciutto e Asparagi

The Classic Pasta Cookbook, p.95

Ingredients

• 1 lb dried fettuccine
• 3 tbsp butter
• ½ lb asparagus, trimmed and cut into ¾" lengths
  
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 4 oz (115g) prosciutto, cut into thin strips
• 1 C heavy cream
• ½ C freshly grated parmesan
  

Directions

1. Get some salted water boiling for the pasta.
2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large, deep-sided skillet over medium heat.
3. Add the onion and cook until it begins to soften.
4. Add the prosciutto and asparagus, and cook until the prosciutto begins to darken and lose its raw colour and the asparagus softens.
   
5. Stir in the cream and cook, stirring frequently, until reduced by half; remove from the heat.
6. When the pasta is cooked al dente, drain and toss with the sauce and cheese.

Sourdough Focaccia with Prosciutto and Pickled Grapes

This was too unusual not to try! I really like how it came out. The chunks of prosciutto and sweet pickled grapes were both really nice. I found the amount of oil called for a bit alarming, but I seems to have come out okay. I think you could probably get away with slightly less oil, but I'd be hesitant to cut to too much.

Sourdough Foccacia with Prosciutto and Pickled Grapes

Slightly adapted from Baking Sense

Ingredients

• 1 batch Sourdough Focaccia Dough
• 1/4 c. olive oil
• 60g prosciutto, cut into 5mm cubes
• 1/2 batch pickled grapes
• 1 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tsp. dried thyme)

Directions

1. Use 2 Tbsp. of the oil to generously oil a rimmed baking sheet.
2. Place dough on baking sheet and then flip so that both sides end up coated with oil.
3. Press and stretch to form a large rectangle ~1cm (1/2") thick.
4. Cover and set aside to rise for 1-2 hours.
5. Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F).
6. Press fingers firmly into dough to form dimples. Dimple the whole surface.
7. Brush with remaining 2 Tbsp. of olive oil.
8. Sprinkle with prosciutto, pickled grapes, and thyme.
9. Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 15-20 minutes.