Asparagus and Prosciutto Roll Ups

I blissfully spent this weekend in the kitchen preparing many new recipes that I had been meaning to try for some time. One such recipe was this lovely asparagus and prosciutto roll up. I have encountered several roll-type recipes on tastespotting.com and this one caught my eye. At first I was going to use only the asparagus because I knew that I already had it in the fridge, but upon coming home last night I discovered that my mom and brother had purchased prosciutto on a whim earlier in the day. Clearly the food gods were sending me a message...and I decided to listen.

The beauty of these roll ups, and really any roll ups, is that the variety of fillings is endless. To make the process even simpler, I use pre-made crescent dough which is already portioned into triangles and ready to be rolled. I made these rolls three ways...ones with only parmesan cheese, ones spread with mustard, and ones spread with creamy horseradish. Although all three tasted great, I think my favorite was the one with the mustard; it provided a little kick which pleasantly complemented the saltiness of the prosciutto and the flakiness of the dough.

Asparagus and Prosciutto Roll Ups

• 1 package crescent rolls
• 8 stalks of asparagus 
• 8 slices prosciutto
• Grated parmesan cheese
• Optional: Dijon mustard

1. Snap the ends off the asparagus and cut each piece in half. Place asparagus pieces in a microwavable bowl and pour just enough water to cover. Microwave for 2 minutes on 50% power with a paper towel over top.
2. Meanwhile, open the package of crescent rolls and separate into 8 triangles. If using the mustard, spread a thin layer over top each piece of dough and then sprinkle with the parmasan cheese. Otherwise, sprinkle the cheese directly onto the dough.
3. Wrap one asparagus head and one middle piece with a slice of prosciutto.
4. Place the wrapped asparagus at the wide end of the dough and then roll up. Repeat for each crescent roll.
5. Place the roll ups onto a greased baking pan with the wide end face down, asparagus face up, and bake for 12-14 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit, or until the dough is golden brown.