This recipe is so user friendly and versatile! It’s perfect for a Sunday brunch side dish or as a fresh veggie appetizer complimented by a crisp glass of rose. The crust is simply sheets of phyllo dough layered on top of one another, no fancy crimping needed. Hint: be sure the dough is thawed overnight in the refrigerator which banishes the issue of the dough sticking together. Use thinner asparagus spears as well so the cooking time is kept to a minimum and in line with the time it takes to cook the dough.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 1/2 teaspoons 1% low fat milk

1 TBLS fresh thyme leaves

1 garlic clove, grated

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

12 frozen phyllo pastry sheets, thawed (14” x 9”)

3 1/2 TBLS olive oil, divided

1 1/2 pounds medium asparagus spears, trimmed to length of 6 1/2”

1 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, shaved (about 1/4 cup)

Let’s Cook!

Preheat over to 400F

Stir together ricotta, parsley, milk, thyme, garlic and 3/8 tsp salt

Place 1 phyllo sheet on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. (cover remaining dough to keep it from drying out). Lightly brush phyllo sheet with oil, and top with another phyllo sheet. Repeat layers with remaining phyllo sheets and oil, reserving 1 teaspoon oil to brush on asparagus.

Spread ricotta mixture on phyllo stack, leaving a 1/2 inch border. Arrange asparagus spears side by side over ricotta mixture. Brush asparagus with remaining 1 teaspoon oil. Bake at 400F until phyllo is browned and crisp, 22 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 1/8 tsp salt (top with shaved cheese if desired).