Phyllo Wrapped Cheesy Asparagus with Spiced Dipping Sauce

I really like working with phyllo pastry, whether it’s making triangles stuffed with feta cheese and spinach, or tart cups to put various fillings or salsa in. Working with phyllo pastry is a bit of a challenge, but once you get the hang of it, there are so many dishes you can create with it! I wanted something to make my asparagus the star of the dinner plate instead of just a side dish, so I decided to put in the extra effort with the phyllo pastry. Both Joe and myself enjoyed these flakey little rolls! I’ve also included the quick dipping sauce I threw together. Enjoy! 🙂

Note: Every 2 sheets of phyllo pastry makes 3 rolls. Each roll has 2 asparagus spears.

Phyllo Wrapped Cheesy Asparagus with Spiced Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:

2 asparagus spears per wrap
2 sheets of phyllo pastry for every 3 wraps
Grated marble cheese
Grated Parmesan cheese
about 1/4 cup butter, melted (and a pastry brush to paint the butter onto the pastry)
Garlic powder
parchment paper lined baking sheet

Method:

Pre heat oven to 375 F.
Wash the asparagus, and snap off the bottom ends, using a knife if necessary to make the asparagus as uniform as possible.
Thaw the phyllo pastry as described on the box. (4-5 hours in the fridge, or you can also put it in the fridge the night before. You can re-freeze any unused pastry.)
Lay out two sheets of phyllo pastry (one on top of the other) on a clean and smooth work surface. (Directly on the counter works well if your cutting board isn’t large enough.)
Cut the sheets lengthwise into three equal strips.
Place two of the double layer strips aside under a damp (not wet!) paper towel. Phyllo pastry dries out fast, so the unused pastry must be covered at all times.
Separate the two layers of pastry, and brush a thin layer of melted butter on the first layer. Re-apply the second layer, and brush another thin layer of butter.
Sprinkle about 2 tbsp grated marble cheese over the pastry, then a dash of garlic powder.
Place two spears of asparagus at one end of the pastry, and roll the pastry (starting from the end with the asparagus) like you’re rolling up a jelly roll.
Place the phyllo rolled asparagus seam side down on the parchment paper, and brush the top of the roll with a light layer of melted butter.
Sprinkle the roll with about 2 tsp grated marble cheese, and a dash of Parmesan cheese.
Repeat these steps with each roll, ensuring that you keep the unused pastry covered at all times. (After having to throw out about 10 sheets of the stuff the first time I used it, I really can’t stress this point enough!)
Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the pastry is turning light brown on the edges, and the cheese is cooked and browned on the top.
Note: phyllo pastry goes from “lightly browned” to “burnt” VERY fast, so at 15-20 minutes, you should keep a close eye on the rolls and remove them from the oven right away if they’re looking too dark.

Quick Spiced Cheesy Dipping Sauce

These quantities make enough sauce for about 4 rolls, so increase or decrease the amounts accordingly.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup grated cheese
1/4 cup light miracle whip
1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce (adjust to your tastes)
1 tbsp mustard

Method:

In a microwave safe bowl, melt the cheese in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds.
When the cheese is melted, add in all the other ingredients, and stir. Serve immediately.