“Asparagus alla Parmigiana” is a very old, traditional Italian asparagus recipe. The fact that it has remained unchanged for so long should tell you how yummy it is! The asparagus is baked in layers with a little bit of butter, plenty of Parmigiano cheese and crispy breadcrumbs on top. What’s not to love?
Watch the Pasta Grammar video where we make Asparagi alla Parmigiana here:
ASPARAGI ALLA PARMIGIANA RECIPE
Makes: 3-4 servings
Cook Time: 45-60 minutes
For this recipe, you will need:
Salt
1 lb. (450g) asparagus, trimmed
2 tbsp. (15-30g) unsalted butter
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese to taste
Fresh black pepper
1/4 cup (35g) bread crumbs
Pot
Large bowl of ice water
Small baking dish, long enough to hold an asparagus spear in full
Bring a large pot of water to boil and salt it generously. Blanche the asparagus by boiling it for 3-4 minutes, then plunging the spears in ice water to stop them from cooking. Drain completely.
Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (205 C).
Line the bottom of a baking dish with a few thin pats of butter. The dish can really be any size you like, as long as it can fit a full asparagus spear. Also, while you can layer the asparagus in a smaller dish (like an asparagus lasagna), you can also cook them in one flat layer on a larger baking sheet.
Lay a flat layer of asparagus over the butter. The spears should be lined up side by side and parallel. Top the layer with a sprinkle of black pepper, a few more pats of butter, and a thick grating of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
Stack another flat layer of asparagus on top and repeat the steps to add pepper, butter and cheese. Repeat until you have used up all the asparagus. Mix the bread crumbs with approximately and equal amount of Parmigiano cheese. Evenly spread this on top of the final asparagus layer. Note that if you use a large dish with only one or two layers, you will need more bread crumbs to cover.
Top with some more butter and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the asparagus is tender and the bread crumbs are crispy and golden. Serve warm.
Buon appetito!
Have some leftover asparagus? Try a delicious asparagus frittata!