Asparagus is fantastic in any preparation. My favorite option is cheesy baked asparagus. It’s a perfect Italian side dish for main course
Would you like some Italian asparagus ice cream?
A girl comes to an ice cream shop and asks the salesman:
– Do you have asparagus ice cream, mister?
– No … – The salesman answers in surprise.
On the second day, the girl came to the shop again with the same question:
– Do you have asparagus ice cream?
– No!
On the third day, the story repeated itself:
– Do you have asparagus ice cream?
– No!!!
And on the fourth day, the same thing happened …
The salesman was so fed up with the story that he nervously drove around all the ice cream factories and found exactly that one – made of asparagus.
The girl comes in again and asks:
– Do you have asparagus ice cream?
– Yes !!!
– Bleah, how disgusting it is, right?!
I probably wouldn’t understand asparagus ice cream either. But as a salty dish, I could eat this vegetable with great pleasure for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day!
Why I love this cheesy baked asparagus recipe
When it comes to asparagus, I always prefer dishes that are simple to prepare with a minimum amount of ingredients: so that the taste of the main component comes first, and the method and time of preparation don’t destroy the useful part of this vegetable. In the case of asparagus, these aspects are extremely important. So today’s recipe is from the category “it couldn’t be simpler” and “tastier doesn’t exist” – cheesy baked asparagus.
This Italian side dish is great both hot and cold.
Ingredients for asparagus au gratin:
- Asparagus. Choose the stalks that are firm to the touch and have a smooth texture.
- Grated Parmesan. You can substitute it with other grated cheese of your choice)
- Breadcrumbs
- Oil (olive oil is preferred here, but sunflower, corn or other vegetable oil can be used as well)
- Salt, pepper
How to trim asparagus before cooking
First, you need to remove the bottom hard ends of the asparagus stems. To do this, bend each stem closer to the bottom and it will break itself in the right place (don’t throw away the hard bottom ends, they can be used to make broth, which is perfect for risotto).
How to make cheesy baked asparagus au gratin
Place the top tender asparagus stems on a baking tray lined with parchment
Sprinkle the asparagus with grated Parmesan
Sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top
Salt (just a little, because the cheese is already salty), pepper and drizzle some oil on top
Bake for 20-25 minutes at 190°C (375°F) (cooking time depends on your personal preferences, if you like “al dente” asparagus then 20min is enough, if you want softer consistency, then cook a little longer). Bon Appetit!
Cheesy baked asparagus (Italian side dish)
Ingredients
- 1 pound (500g) asparagus
- 2 tbsp grated Parmesan
- 2 tbsp breadcrumbs
- oil, salt, pepper
Instructions
- First, you need to remove the bottom hard ends of the asparagus stems. To do this, bend each stem closer to the bottom and it will break itself in the right place (don’t throw away the hard bottom ends, they can be used to make broth, which is perfect for risotto). Place the top tender asparagus stems on a baking tray lined with parchment
- Sprinkle the asparagus with grated Parmesan
- Sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top
- Salt (just a little, because the cheese is already salty), pepper and drizzle some oil on top
- Bake for 20-25 minutes at 190°C (375F) (cooking time depends on your personal preferences, if you like “al dente” asparagus then 20min is enough, if you want softer consistency, then cook a little longer).
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