Damn Good Food: 2 Appetizers and a Salad

My wife made a really great opener for some spaghetti with meatballs the other night. She mad 2 appetizers and a tasty salad. We got the recipes from the book The Italian American Cookbook.

I made some marinara from my san marzanos and added in a few meatballs. Here is a neat trick for meatballs - make your meatballs according to whatever recipe but instead of frying them, put some tin foil on a cookie sheet, grease the tinfoil and bake the meatballs at 375 for about a half hour. They stay nice and round and cook really evenly.

Figs and Proscuitto with Gorgonzola

8 fresh (or dried) figs , if fresh cut in half

6 slices imported prosciutto

Olive oil

4-6 oz. crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

Coarsely ground black pepper

Wrap the figs in strips of prosciutto and secure with a toothpick. Brush with olive oil and place under the broiler for 4-6 minutes. Serve over crumbled gorgonzola cheese. Delicious!

Fried Asparagus With Prosciutto

2 1/8 tsp. salt, kosher if available

12 asparagus spears

6 slices imported prosciutto

½ c plain bread crumbs

2 T freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

¼ c olive oil

1 ½ T unsalted butter

1 large egg

In a large sauce pan boil water with 2 tsp. of the salt. Trim and boil asparagus spears for 2-3 minutes, then drain and place in a bowl of cold water to prevent further cooking. Place asparagus spears diagonally on a piece of prosciutto and roll up. Set aside. Combine the bread crumbs, remaining salt, pepper and cheese in a bowl. In another bowl beat the egg with 1 T water. Dip each prepared asparagus spear first in the bread crumb mixture and then in the egg. When all have been prepared, fry in butter until browned on all sides.