The eternal question of almost any holiday is what can you make that captures the essence of the day and feels truly different from the everyday? This Easter Sheet-Pan Dinner is a dish unlike any other, a springtime feast that tastes truly festive; it features homemade flaky biscuits, creamy and cheesy potatoes, roasted tender asparagus, and tangy and savory pineapple ham steaks. The beauty of Easter Sheet-Pan Dinner is that everything comes out all at the same time, hot, and ready to celebrate with you. This is far from everyday ordinary, in both style and amazing taste.
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more, to taste, for dusting a work surface
- 3 tablespoons parmesan, divided
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, minced, divided
- 1 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more, to taste
- 1 3/4 cups heavy cream, divided, plus more, to taste
- 1 pound medium carrots, peeled and cut on the bias into 1-1/2-inch chunks of roughly equal size
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more, to taste for greasing the pan
- 1 1/2 pounds thick asparagus, woody ends snapped off, bottom half of stalks peeled
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes
- 1 small clove garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons orange marmalade
- 1/2 cup Gruyère cheese, shredded
- 3 (7-8-ounce) ham steaks, halved crosswise
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 3 slices canned pineapple rings in heavy syrup, plus 1 teaspoon of the syrup
- 3 maraschino cherries, optional, halved
- 6 whole cloves
- 1 egg, hard-boiled
- 4 lemon wedges
- mustard, optional, to taste, for serving
Directions
Step 1 –Position the oven racks to the upper and lower third positions in the oven.
Step 2 –Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Step 3 –Whisk 1 cup of the flour, 1 tablespoon of the parmesan, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon of the thyme, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper in a large bowl.
Step 4 –Add 3/4 cup of the heavy cream and stir together with a wooden spoon until the dough just comes together, being careful not to over mix.
Step 5 –Using the extra flour, lightly dust a work surface. Turn the dough onto the prepared work surface and form it into a 1-inch-thick square.
Step 6 –Cut the square into 4 equal smaller squares. Transfer the dough squares to a plate and chill them in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
Step 7 –Line one sheet pan with parchment paper.
Step 8 –Spread the carrots over 1/2 of the parchment-paper-lined sheet pan.
Step 9 –Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a small bowl. Drizzle the carrots with the butter.
Step 10 –Sprinkle the carrots with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt.
Step 11 –On the other side of the same sheet pan, add the asparagus. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over the asparagus, tossing to coat.
Step 12 –Sprinkle the asparagus with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper.
Step 13 –Bake the vegetables on the bottom rack until they are just beginning to become tender, about 15 minutes.
Step 14 –Using a mandoline or vegetable slicer, slice the potatoes into 1/8-inch-thick rounds.
Step 15 –Place the potatoes in a medium skillet with a lid.
Step 16 –Add the remaining heavy cream, the garlic, the remaining thyme, the remaining 3/4 teaspoon of the salt, and the extra pepper, to the skillet.
Step 17 –Bring the potato mixture to a boil over medium heat.
Step 18 –Cover the pan and lower the heat to a simmer.
Step 19 –Cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a paring knife and the cream sauce has thickened, about 10-12 minutes.
Step 20 –Remove the skillet from the heat and set it aside, covered.
Step 21 –Remove the carrots from the oven and spoon the orange marmalade over them, stirring them until completely coated.
Step 22 –Return the carrots to the sheet pan.
Step 23 –Turn the asparagus spears.
Step 24 –Using the extra butter, grease 1/3 of a second sheet pan.
Step 25 –Spoon 1/2 of the potatoes in an even, overlapping layer on the buttered part of the sheet pan.
Step 26 –Sprinkle the potatoes with 1 tablespoon of the parmesan.
Step 27 –Top with the remaining potatoes, spooning any remaining cream sauce over them.
Step 28 –Sprinkle the potatoes with the remaining parmesan and the Gruyère cheese.
Step 29 –In the center of the second sheet pan, arrange the ham slices in a single, overlapping layer, leaving space for the biscuits.
Step 30 –Mix the brown sugar and the pineapple syrup in a small microwave-safe bowl.
Step 31 –In 30-second increments, microwave the brown sugar mixture, stirring between each increment, until the sugar has dissolved.
Step 32 –Spoon the glaze onto the ham slices, spreading it with the back of a spoon to cover.
Step 33 –Cut the pineapple rings in half. Lay each half on a ham slice.
Step 34 –Place one of the cherry halves in the center of each of the pineapple slices.
Step 35 –Use one of the cloves to pin the cherry to the pineapple or the pineapple to the ham.
Step 36 –Evenly space the chilled biscuits on the remaining space on the second sheet pan.
Step 37 –Brush the tops of the biscuits with the extra heavy cream.
Step 38 –Place the veggie tray again on the lower oven rack and the biscuit-ham-potato tray on the upper rack.
Step 39 –Roast until the potatoes are golden-brown and crusty on top, the carrots are glazed and fully cooked, the asparagus is tender and lightly browned, the biscuits are golden and cooked through, and the ham is warmed through, about 20 minutes.
Step 40 –Stir the carrots.
Step 41 –Grate the hard-boiled egg over the asparagus.
Step 42 –Divide the meal evenly between four plates.
Step 43 –Serve with the lemon wedges and the mustard.
