Asparagus Sformato with Fondata

Show: Episode:

Rated 4 stars out of 5
  • Rate This Recipe
  • Read 3 Reviews
Total Time:
1 hr 10 min
Prep
10 min
Inactive
10 min
Cook
50 min
Yield:
4 servings
Level:
Intermediate
x

Save To My Recipe Box

Please limit to 20 characters

Saving Recipe

Adding Recipe

Or Do Not Add

Success

This recipe was saved to your Folder_Name folder.

x

Save To My Recipe Box

Please sign in to save this recipe to your Recipe Box!!

25 Characters Max

Enter Time:

:
:

You can create up to five timers

Ingredients

  • 2 cups bechamel sauce, recipe follows
  • 1 pound fresh medium asparagus, rough ends removed
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 pinch freshly ground nutmeg, or to taste
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
  • 2 eggs and 2 yolks
  • 2 ounces butter
  • 1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs, lightly toasted under broiler
  • Bechamel: Balsamella
  • 1 stick unsalted butter
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups hot milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Fondata:

  • 4 ounces fontina cheese
  • 6 ounces heavy cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Melt butter in a 2-quart saucepan until frothing. Remove from heat and stir in flour with a whisk. Cook over low heat for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add 1/2 of the hot milk and whisk until smooth. Add remaining milk and whisk until smooth. Bring to boil, add nutmeg, lower heat and simmer 10 minutes. Can be used hot or cold.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Bring 4 quarts water to boil. Add 2 tablespoons salt. Blanch the asparagus until just tender (1 minute) and remove to ice bath and refresh. Once the asparagus has cooled, remove from the ice bath and pat dry.

Cut the cooled asparagus in 1/2. Cut the top 1/2 into 1/2-inch pieces and set the pieces aside. Place the bottom halves in a food processor and blend into a fine puree.

In a mixing bowl, mix the pureed asparagus, the bechamel, salt, nutmeg, Parmesan, eggs and yolks. Stir until thoroughly combined. Gently fold in the top halves of the asparagus pieces which had been previously set aside.

Butter an 8-inch bundt pan and coat with bread crumbs. Pour the asparagus mixture into the bundt pan. Fill a 12-inch baking pan 2/3 filled with hot water. Place the bundt pan on the baking pan, so that the bundt is standing in the hot water. Carefully place the baking pan (with the bundt pan) into the oven. Bake until the top of the sformatio is golden brown and a dipped toothpick comes out clean, about 35 to 40 minutes. Remove and allow to cool 15 minutes. Meanwhile, make the fondata.

To make the fondata: Mix the grated fontina, the heavy cream, and the salt and pepper in small saucepan. Heat gently, stirring constantly, until smooth and creamy.

To serve: Turn the sformato out onto a large plate. Cut into 2-inch slices and place the slices on serving plates. Spoon the fondata over the slices and serve immediately.

Print Recipe

Browse Reviews by Keywordnew!

Loading review filters...

COMMENT ON THIS PROJECT

    

Sign in

All fields are required.

E-mail Address:

Password:

Remember me on this computer

Signing in

Please enter your email address and we will send your password

E-mail Address

Your password has been sent and should arrive in your mailbox very soon.

Not a member?

Sign up for My Food Network to share photos, show off your style, and connect to an enthusiastic and helpful community.

It's free and easy.

Review This Recipe

You must be logged in to review this recipe.

Newest Ratings and Reviews

Read all 3 reviews

  • on June 05, 2009

    Flag

    This one of THE most delicious, sublime way to serve asparagus. Yes, it takes time...but the results are worth it. Made it for a very special family dinner and all I heard were OHS and AHS. It is light, delicate, rich and the presentation with the Fontina is beautiful. Initailly, when I tasted the Fontina sauce, I thought it was a little strong in taste by itself. However, that is NOT the way you eat it. Once it marries with the sformato - it is perfect. Thanks, Mario.

    people found this review Helpful.
    Was this review helpful to you? Yes | No
  • on December 19, 2008

    Flag

    I couldn't even give this one star but I couldn'tpost without providing rating. It was horrible.

    people found this review Helpful.
    Was this review helpful to you? Yes | No
  • on January 07, 2008

    Flag

    We are not a home of asparagus eaters. I went out on a limb to make this for Christmas this year. Oh my goodness! It was so awesome. The recipe itself was a little difficult to maneuvre, but no biggie, it was figured out. Oh.. that, AND it pays to read the recipe in its entirety before starting... lol... I didn't have a bundt pan and used round cake pans instead. It still seemed to fair okay, although I would not reccommend that for anyone. However, the food itself was very good, and the fondata was to die for. I will be making this again very soon, and would serve this dish to anyone who thought they didn't like asparagus, because after this dish, they will. Thanks Mario!

    people found this review Helpful.
    Was this review helpful to you? Yes | No
Advertisement

What's Hot

Iron Chef America

Hosted by: Alton Brown

Free Recipe of the Day Newsletter

Let Food Network chefs plan what's for dinner, with quick and easy recipes delivered to your inbox daily.

Ads by Google

© 2013 Television Food Network G.P. All rights reserved.