Everyday Italian Read Online Free PDF Page A

a time, coat the dough strips with the Parmesan cheese. Roll each dough strip between your palms and the work surface into a 14-inch-long strip, then transfer the dough strips to the prepared baking sheets.
    Bake until the bread sticks are golden brown and crisp, about 20 minutes. Cool the bread sticks completely on the baking sheet. (The bread sticks can be prepared up to this point 8 hours ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)
    Wrap one slice of prosciutto around each cooled bread stick, arrange the prosciutto-wrapped bread sticks on a platter, and serve.
     

     
ROASTED ASPARAGUS Wrapped in Prosciutto
    This is one of those dishes that was born out of my years of catering and the necessity to come up with something new for cocktail parties. Roasting the asparagus is fast and easy and gives a lot more flavor than simply steaming.
    6 APPETIZER SERVINGS
12
asparagus stalks (about 1 pound), trimmed
1
tablespoon olive oil
1
teaspoon salt
1
teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6
paper-thin slices of prosciutto, halved lengthwise
    Preheat the Oven to 450 degrees F. Peel the bottom half of each asparagus. On a heavy baking sheet, toss the asparagus with the oil, salt, and pepper. Put in the oven and roast until the asparagus is tender, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely.
    Wrap each asparagus with 1 piece of prosciutto, exposing the tips. Arrange on a platter and serve at room temperature.
    when buying asparagus ,
you want to look for firm stems, not wilted ones, and you want the tops to be tight and closed, not like a flower whose buds have opened. These are characteristics of fresh asparagus. To trim them, all you need to do is break off the dry, fibrous ends.

     
PROSCIUTTO PURSES
    This is a new way to serve the classic combination of prosciutto with melon, one of Italians’ famously favorite ways to start a meal. You could pierce the prosciutto purses with toothpicks to make them easier to eat. And to make the preparation easier, be sure to place the block of Parmesan in the freezer for a few minutes, so that when you shave it, it won’t crumble.
    MAKES 36 PIECES
2
medium cantaloupes (about 3 pounds each), halved crosswise
2
medium honeydews (about 4 pounds each), halved crosswise
36
thin slices of prosciutto (about 1½ pounds)
1
large block of Parmesan cheese (about 1 pound)
    Gently Scrape Out the Seeds and membranes from the cantaloupes and honeydews. Using a melon baller, scoop out balls from the flesh and place the melon balls in a large bowl. Discard the skin.
    Trim the prosciutto slices into 2½-inch squares. Cover the prosciutto loosely with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out while assembling the purses. Place one melon ball in the center of one prosciutto slice, then fold all the sides of the prosciutto over the melon ball as for a package. Place the finished purse, seam side down, on a baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Repeat with the remaining prosciutto squares and melon balls. (The prosciutto balls can be prepared up to this point 1 day ahead. Keep tightly covered with plastic wrap and refrigerate.)
    Using a vegetable peeler and pressing firmly, shave the Parmesan into long slices (the cheese will crumble if too little pressure is used). Decoratively arrange the Parmesan slices on a large platter. Place a prosciutto purse atop each Parmesan slice and serve.
     
PANINO DI PROSCIUTTO E FONTINA
    This is one of my favorite combinations; the salty prosciutto and creamy melted fontina cheese make my mouth water. It’s amazing how grilling the sandwich brings all the ingredients together, turning an everyday sandwich into the embodiment of comfort food.
    MAKES 1 SANDWICH
2
slices of fontina cheese (3 ounces total)
2
slices of rustic white bread (each ½ inch thick)
1
paper-thin slice of red onion (optional)
1
paper-thin slice of prosciutto
6
fresh baby spinach leaves
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
About 2 teaspoons olive oil
    Place 1 Slice of fontina cheese atop 1 bread slice. Top with the