As a child I grew up helping my mom in her garden, and that is why I had a lot of appreciation for vegetables generally, but it didn’t mean I liked all veggies. So I understand why my boys are super fussy eaters when it comes to greens, which is the reason I sometimes dress up the veggies in their favourite ingredients like phyllo pastry and bacon, or in this case, prosciutto served with a lovely soy and ginger sweet chilli sauce. What’s great is that even though they are snacks, you can easily serve them as a side with a main meal.
- Preparation time: 10 minutes
- Cooking time: 10 minutes
- Serves: 2–4
WHAT YOU NEED
- 4 sheets phyllo pastry
- 30 ml (2 tablespoons) melted butter
- 2 bunches asparagus (about 16 spears), rinsed and woody ends trimmed
- 1 large free-range egg yolk
- 30 ml (2 tablespoons) full-cream milk
- 8 slices prosciutto
Dipping sauce
- 80 ml (1/3 cup) sweet chilli sauce
- 20 ml (4 teaspoons) soy sauce (e.g. Kikkoman)
- 2.5 ml (½ teaspoon) finely grated fresh ginger
KITCHEN TOOLS
- Baking tin and cooking spray
- Platter
- Silicone brush
HOW TO DO IT
- Preheat the oven to 200°C and lightly grease a baking tray with cooking spray. Brush 1 sheet of pastry with the melted butter. Place a second one on top and brush again. Continue layering and brushing the pastry sheets until done.
- Cut the pastry into 8 strips and individually wrap 8 of the asparagus spears with each strip of pastry. Beat the egg yolk with the milk and brush the pastry with the egg wash.
- Now wrap the mid-section of the remaining asparagus spears with the prosciutto. Arrange on the prepared baking tray and bake for 8 minutes until the pastry is slightly golden and crispy. Tip onto a platter.
- Meanwhile, mix all the sauce ingredients together in a small serving bowl. Serve the dipping sauce with the wrapped-up asparagus. Garnish as desired and enjoy!
SIBA’S SECRETS
Substitute the prosciutto with bacon rashers. • You need to work fast with phyllo pastry as it dries out quickly. To prevent phyllo from drying out, cover the sheets with a clean, damp cloth while buttering the other sheets.
About the Book:
South African celebrity chef Siba Mtongana has released a new cook book for kids. This book is filled with delicious and nutritious treats that moms, dads and their little ones will love. Plus, these recipes were designed to help you get your kids involved.
Name: Siba – Let’s Cook
Author: Siba Mtongana
RRP: R220.00
