Asparagus Cordon Bleu

​With all the meals we were serving in quick succession over this past weekend, we looked for a few vegetable recipes that could easily be prepared ahead but still maintain their beauty and freshness. We were so happy with the results of this asparagus dish. It was definitely a keeper – perfect for Christmas or even Easter! Never too early to start planning ahead! Asparagus Cordon Bleu is easy and a lovely addition for a dinner party or any holiday. It can be easily assembled in advance and popped in the oven shortly before serving.

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Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Asparagus Cordon Bleu
SERVINGS
6servings
CHANGE SERVING SIZE
servings
COOK TIME
20mins
PREP TIME
15mins
READY IN
35mins

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare a baking dish by brushing with melted butter or olive oil
  2. Prepare an ice bath. Bring a small pot of water to a rolling boil. Add approximately 1 tablespoon of salt. Drop the asparagus into the salted water. Cook 15-30 seconds or until asparagus turns bright green. Remove and immediately drop into the ice bath. Let cool thoroughly then pat dry with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel.
  3. Divide the asparagus into six even bundles. Wrap each in the prosciutto and place in the prepared baking dish.
  4. Top with grated cheese.
  5. Bake for 10-15 min. until cheese is melted
  6. Meanwhile, combine butter and panko in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the top of the cheese. Bake for an additional 5 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are golden.
  7. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley and serve immediately.

Can be prepared 24 hours in advance. Assemble and refrigerate. When ready to bake, preheat oven and bake per directions, holding panko to add later.

Recipe adapted from achefskitchen.com

Tuscan Tortellini Salad

Once we opened Villa Via Sacra, our mission house in Barga Italy, it
took no time for warm friendships to spring up between our Community
family and the locals. Their interest in Gregorian chant resulted in
weekly gatherings at the villa where, over foaming mugs of Cappuccino
and crunchy biscotti, together we studied studied Latin neums and
learned how to sing authentic Gregorian chant. In return the local
women invited the sisters into their kitchens where they
generously shared their own secrets to preparing authentic Tuscan
food.

Since then our menus at the Convent, Bethany retreat house and
Paraclete retreat house definitely reflect our close association
with the life in Barga. This summery salad, although it involves
little cooking, incorporates many of the typical Tuscan flavors and is generously flavored with many of the seasonings regularly used there.

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Votes: 8
Rating: 2.88
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Tuscan Tortellini Salad
SERVINGS
6People
CHANGE SERVING SIZE
People
COOK TIME
10-11minutes
PREP TIME
10minutes
READY IN
20-21 minutes

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook tortellini according to package directions. Drain and transfer to large serving bowl.
  2. Make dressing: Whisk together olive oil and balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper.
  3. To bowl, add prosciutto, spinach, cherry tomatoes, and dressing and toss until well combined.
  4. Garnish with Parmesan.

 

 

Prosciutto, Fig and Gorgonzola Pizza with Arugula Salad

This past spring, the brass group of our community built us an amazing outdoor kitchen and wood fire oven inspired by the one we have at Villa Via Sacra, our mission house in Barga, Italy.  All summer long and even now into the colder months of fall, we’ve been able to fire up the oven and make one of our favorite foods, amongst other things, pizza!

When I served at Villa Via Sacra, I invented a Tuscan pizza of gorgonzola and prosciutto with fig jam that we had made from our gorgeous fig tree.  It was delicious – almost like dessert – and we quickly adopted it as one of our “house pizzas”.  This past weekend, we hosted a men’s retreat at our community, so I thought it might be fun to make some adaptions to this recipe and really perfect it – once and for all.  I am so happy with the results!  Thin crust pizza with a mixture of sweet and salty ingredients topped with a salad of crisp nutty arugula that’s been tossed in a balsamic vinaigrette.  Heaven begins here!  It doesn’t get much better than this!  Now that figs are readily available in the market (get green fresh ones, not dried) and certainly are a treat to many, you just might want to fire up your oven and give this a try.

Andiamo mangiare!

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Votes: 5
Rating: 4.8
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Prosciutto, Fig and Gorgonzola Pizza with Arugula Salad
SERVINGS
4-6
CHANGE SERVING SIZE
COOK TIME
5minutes
PREP TIME
20minutes
READY IN
4hours

Ingredients

Instructions

Dough:
  1. Place ¼ cup very warm water in a small bowl and sprinkle with the yeast. Let sit for 5 minutes or until yeast is hydrated and creamy (This will allow the yeast to be quickly absorbed by the flour).
  2. Place flour, salt, yeast mixture, and remaining water in mixer bowl fitted with a dough hook.
  3. Mix on low speed for 2 minutes to combine. If the dough appears too wet and sticky and is not combining, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time while mixing until dough takes on a “shaggy” appearance.
  4. Drizzle with oil and mix for 2 minutes more. Dough should form a smooth ball and clear the sides of the bowl.
  5. Turn mixer off, cover top of bowl with plastic wrap, and let rest for 20 minutes.
  6. Resume mixing on medium low speed for 3 minutes, or until dough forms a smooth ball, clearing sides of bowl.
  7. Place in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
  8. Let sit at room temperature for 2 ½ hours. It will double in size. Dough may be used immediately.
Instructions for Assembly:
  1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees or highest setting
  2. Cut dough into 4 – 8 oz. balls
  3. Dust both sides of dough with flour and roll out to make a thin crust
  4. Drizzle with Olive oil
  5. Sprinkle generously with Gorgonzola
  6. Place into a wood fire oven (or regular preheated oven – preferably on a pizza stone)until the crust is starting to golden
  7. Remove from oven and quickly distribute on top of the pizza: sliced fresh figs, cover with slices of prosciutto and dot with fig jam and mascarpone cheese – don’t get too heavy on any one ingredient or your end result will be soggy and the individual flavors will be lost.
  8. Drizzle with olive oil
  9. Place back into oven for about another minute – watch carefully
  10. Meanwhile, dress a bunch of fresh arugula with an aged balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper
  11. Once out of oven, top with the dressed arugula, slice and enjoy!