Verdant green asparagus takes on a mild nuttiness when roasted, making it the perfect base for a few other ingredients with a similar flavor profile. This recipe combines asparagus, Parmesan cheese and hazelnuts for a vegetarian bake that your whole family will love. And the best part? The recipe below doesn't even take 30 minutes to make.
Use pencil-thin green asparagus for the best results. Not only are they more tender and sweeter than the fatter ones, but they're also easier to prepare. You'll sometimes need to remove the fibrous outside of larger asparagus before cooking it. But with thinner ones, all you need to do is snap off the woody ends and enjoy!
Vegetarian Parmesan Bake with Asparagus
6
10 minutes
20 minutes
30 minutes
1 pound thin asparagus, woody ends snapped off
10 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup half and half
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 cup chopped hazelnuts
2 teaspoons hazelnut oil
Parmesan peelings, for garnish
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a silicone tart pan, and arrange the asparagus in a wheel with the tips towards the outside. Set aside.
Whisk the eggs and half-and-half together. Season with salt and pepper. Add the Parmesan, and whisk well to combine.
Carefully pour the egg mixture over the asparagus, pouring slowly so that the asparagus doesn't move.
Bake for 35 minutes.
When the bake is cooked through, allow it to cool slightly before unmolding. Scatter the chopped hazelnuts over the top, and drizzle with the hazelnut oil. Scatter with the Parmesan peelings and serve.