Whenever I’m in the mood to give oven-roasted asparagus a little pizzazz – for Easter brunch or Mother’s Day, for instance — I wrap thin slices of prosciutto around the asparagus spears. This is such an easy way to make the roasted asparagus look fancy!

I also love how the salty flavors of the prosciutto complement the subtly sweet flavor of roasted asparagus.

Prosciutto-wrapped Asparagus

Servings: 4-6Ingredients

• 1 pound asparagus, preferably thick spears
• 3 to 3 1/2 ounces sliced prosciutto
• 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Ground black pepper
• Lemon zest, optional
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 400F.Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Prepare the asparagusRinse and pat dry the asparagus. Snap off the tough ends of the asparagus. Set asparagus spears aside. (Reserve the snapped ends for another meal, if you like.)
3. Wrap the asparagus with prosciuttoCut prosciutto slices in half down their length. Wrap each spear of asparagus with one strip of sliced prosciutto. Tug the prosciutto a little as you wrap it around the asparagus to give it tension. This helps to ensure that the prosciutto wraps around the asparagus tightly.Lay the wrapped asparagus spears on the lined sheet pan.
4. Drizzle the asparagus with 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil.Sprinkle a pinch of black pepper on top.
5. Bake the asparagus for 8 to 10 minutesWhen done, the asparagus will be bright green and easily pierced with a fork, and the prosciutto will be crisped around the edges.
6. Serve the asparagusTransfer the asparagus to a serving platter. Top with lemon zest and freshly grated parmesan cheese, if using. Serve immediately while hot.