Last summer, a super delicious tartine , or open-faced sandwich, appeared at one of my neighborhood haunts, Le Pain Quotidien. The salty-sweet flavors it involved-roasted peaches, prosciutto di parma, parmesan cheese and steamed asparagus-kept me lusting after it through the season and hoping that it would reappear this summer. No dice!
Finally, I had to do it myself. It’s a good thing, too, because, after putting away at least 20 of these babies last year, there were a few things that I thought could be even better. Nectarines, for instance, replace the peaches as Northern peaches are a bit bland. The tang of the nectarines enhances the savory ingredients.
The how-to of the recipe itself was not at all difficult to dream up, and the execution is even easier. Your child could and should help with tossing and coating the nectarines in the balsamic vinegar, sprinkling the salt, and, best of all, assembling the sandwiches themselves. MMMM! Thanks, Pain Quotidien, for the truly genius idea for this little tartine. Let me know what you think….
Balsamic Roasted Nectarine, Prosciutto, and Asparagus Tartine
*4 large slices of whole grain bread from a boule, or 8 slices of sandwich bread
*2 T. unsalted butter, room temp.
*1/2 lb of prosciutto di parma
*a bunch of asparagus, woody ends snapped off and cut in two horizontally
*3 medium-ripe nectarines, cut into eighths
* 1 scant T. balsamic vinegar
*1 T. good olive oil
*pinch of salt
*a small hunk of fresh parmesan cheese
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
In a medium bowl, combine the balsamic vinegar, the olive oil, and the salt. Toss the nectarines in this, and dump everything into a shallow baking dish. Roast for 20-25 minutes or until tender and turning golden.
Meanwhile, steam the asparagus till it turns bright green. Try understeaming it a little, in fact, so that you don’t have to bother with an ice bath or anything too fussy.
Assemble each sandwich: First the bread, then a thin (or thick) layer of butter, then the prosciutto, the asparagus, the nectarines, and to top it off, little shavings of the parmesan. Cut into a few wedges with a serrated knife and devour.
