Wonderful Asparagus Torta

Total Time: 55 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 3 lbs fresh asparagus
• 2 tablespoons softened butter
• 10 slices dense bread
• 6 egg yolks
• 1 1/2 cups cream or 1 1/2 cups milk
• pepper
• nutmeg
• 8 ounces good quality fontina cheese, thinly sliced
• 19 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto (optional) or 19 ounces black forest ham (optional)

Recipe

• 1 trim the tough ends from the asparagus, lay it in a stainless saute pan, pour over 1/2 inch boiling water, add 1/2 teaspoons salt, cover and place over medium high.
• 2 let simmer until the asparagus is tender when pierced with a fork.
• 3 remove and let cool on paper towels.
• 4 generously butter a 14-inch pizza pan, or flat baking dish.
• 5 remove the crusts from the bread and arrange the slices all over the bottom of the pan.
• 6 lay the prosciutto or black forest ham on top of the bread.
• 7 in a small bowl, mix the yolks and cream with pepper and nutmeg.
• 8 pour this over the bread.
• 9 place over this a thin layer of fontina.
• 10 bake the torta in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10 minutes.
• 11 remove the torta from the oven, and arrange the asparagus over the cheese layer, in a spoke fashion.
• 12 top with the remaining fontina.
• 13 at this point, the torta may sit at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours.
• 14 when ready to serve, return the torta to a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden.
• 15 makes 8 servings.