Asparagus filo rolls

This is the ultimate canapé recipe for any special occasion. Substantial enough to fill the tummies or the hungriest of guests while you get the main meal on the go, you will have people begging for more of these tasty asparagus and filo rolls. You can roll them the day before so you only need to cook them on the day for 15 minutes. A real winner.

This is a great recipe from Melbourne catering firm Mary and Steve The Caterers. It uses asparagus when in season (in Australia in November and December), so perfect for pre-Christmas events or Christmas Day lunch or dinner.

ASPARAGUS ROLLS

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 60 mins
Makes: 12

Ingredients

• 2 cups milk
• 60g /2oz of butter, plus 100g/3oz to brush on top
• 100g / ½ cup of plain flour
• 4 tbsp/40g parmesan plus extra to sprinkle on top
• 12 thick asparagus spears
• 3 fresh filo sheets or ½ box of packet filo

Method

1. To make the white sauce, place the milk in a saucepan and bring almost to the boil. Remove from heat.
2. In another saucepan, melt the butter and then add the flour. Cook over a medium heat for a few minutes to cook out the flour but be careful it doesn’t colour.
3. Gradually add the milk to the flour mix and bring back to the boil between each addition. Whisk until smooth and silky.
4. Turn the heat to very low and cover with baking paper/parchment paper and cook for 10 minutes.
5. Remove from the heat, turn into a bowl and stir in the parmesan cheese. Allow to cool to room temperature. You can do this step a day or 2 in advance.
6. Preheat oven to 180ºC /350ºF.
7. To assemble the the rolls, cut the filo into pieces 15cm/7″ x 30cm/14″.
8. Position the shortest side towards you and place a tablespoon of the white sauce towards the right hand corner closest to you. Place the asparagus spear on top with the top of the spear poking out the top of the filo on the left side.
9. Brush the rest of the filo with melted butter.
10. Fold the longest side of filo at the cut end of the asparagus about 1 cm/½” over the base of the asparagus to encase it. Then starting at the end closest to you and roll away from you to wrap the asparagus.
11. Place on a baking tray lined with baking /parchment paper.
12. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with parmesan.
13. Place in the oven and cook for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

TIP
These can be assembled 2 days in advance and cooked when required. Make up to step 11 before without heating the oven, then simply heat the oven, brush with melted butter and sprinkle with parmesan and cook for 15 minutes on the day. They make a great festive season offering to serve with drinks or as part of a buffet.