Asparagus Phyllo Bake
I'm Greek and grew up wrapping everything in phyllo. When asparagus is in season, I bring out the phyllo and start baking.
I'm Greek and grew up wrapping everything in phyllo. When asparagus is in season, I bring out the phyllo and start baking.
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded swiss cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3/4 cup butter melted
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- 2 pounds fresh asparagus trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 5 eggs lightly beaten
- 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
- 1/2 cup slivered almonds toasted
- 16 sheets phyllo dough 14x9 inches
- Carbohydrate 10.0835292673042 g
- Cholesterol 129.616898573647 mg
- Fat 22.0337197948899 g
- Fiber 2.29319849815241 g
- Protein 12.7448395636348 g
- Saturated Fat 11.9385761284302 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (167g)
- Sodium 212.543149848626 mg
- Sugar 7.79033076915175 g
- Trans Fat 1.63602723083206 g
- Calories 282 calories
Step-by-step
- In a large saucepan, bring 8 cups water to a boil.
- Add asparagus; cook, uncovered, 30 seconds or just until asparagus turns bright green.
- Remove asparagus and immediately drop into ice water.
- Drain and pat dry.
- In a large bowl, mix eggs, cheeses and seasonings; stir in almonds and asparagus.
- Preheat oven to 375°.
- Brush a 13x9-in. baking dish with some of the butter.
- Unroll phyllo dough.
- Layer eight sheets of phyllo in prepared dish, brushing each with butter.
- Keep remaining phyllo covered with plastic wrap and a damp towel to prevent it from drying out.
- Spread ricotta mixture over phyllo layers.
- Top with remaining phyllo sheets, brushing each with butter.
- Cut into 12 rectangles.
- Bake 50-55 minutes or until golden brown.
Phyllo pastry demands careful fat distribution to achieve flakiness without becoming greasy. Brushing melted butter between each of the sixteen 14x9-inch sheets creates steam pockets as water content in the dairy evaporates inside a 375-degree oven. That steam forces the paper-thin dough layers apart, yielding a crisp, shattering crust.
Fresh spring asparagus brings distinct enzymatic compounds that canned alternatives lack. Boiling the spears for precisely 30 seconds before an ice bath halts enzyme activity that would otherwise degrade chlorophyll and turn the vegetables drab olive. Blanching also drives out trapped air within the cell walls, locking in a vibrant green hue and crisp-tender bite.
Inside the filling, ricotta and Swiss cheeses supply milk proteins and fats that bind the beaten eggs into a cohesive custard. Grated Parmesan contributes glutamates, intensifying savory notes against the earthy backdrop of toasted almonds and lemon peel. Thoroughly patting the blanched asparagus dry prevents excess surface moisture from diluting the dairy proteins, ensuring the ricotta mixture sets properly during the 50-to-55-minute bake.
