Asparagus Tart

Tender asparagus and a creamy cheese sauce on top of flaky, buttery puff pastry is an easy yet impressive dish for any time of the day.

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Course: Appetizer, Breakfast, Brunch, Side Dish

Cuisine: Western

Diet: asparagus, cream, pecorino, puff pastry

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 30

Servings: serves

Author: Eff | Food Daydreaming

Equipment

Ingredients

2 tablespoons pine nuts
2 sheets all-butter puff pastry*
2 bunches asparagus, washed and patted dry
100 ml heavy cream
2 tablespoons mascarpone
50 g pecorino, freshly grated
Zest from 1 lemon
1 egg
3-5 basil stems, leaves removed and roughly torn

Instructions

In a small dry skillet, toast the pine nuts over low heat, stirring often. This should take a couple of minutes, but watch them closely so the pine nuts don’t burn.
2 tablespoons pine nuts
Preheat the oven to 200°C and line 2 baking trays with baking paper and set aside. (See notes for having defrosted your puff pastry depending on the type you’re using) Remove the puff pastry from the fridge or freezer and leave it on the counter to become malleable.
2 sheets all-butter puff pastry*
For thin or pencil asparagus: Simply trim off the woody ends by holding the asparagus in each hand and gently bending until the bottom part snaps off naturally. For medium or thick asparagus: trim off the woody ends as above and then blanch the spears in salted, boiling water for 1 minute until bright green. Immediately strain and run under cold water to stop the cooking process. Gently pat dry and set aside.
2 bunches asparagus
To make the sauce, combine the cream, mascarpone, pecorino and lemon zest in a small bowl and mix until combined. Taste and season with salt, if needed (don’t season the cream before adding the pecorino, which is a salty cheese).
100 ml heavy cream, 2 tablespoons mascarpone, 50 g pecorino, Zest from 1 lemon
When ready to bake the tart, place the puff pastry sheet onto the prepared baking tray. Using a knife, score a 3-4cm border around the edge – making sure to not cut all the way through the puff pastry. Then, using a fork, dock the puff pastry on the inside of the border. Repeat with the other puff pastry sheet.
Spread ¼ of the cream sauce onto the puff pastry, staying on the inside of the scored border. Layer on half of the asparagus as rustic or as neatly as you like, and then top with another ¼ of the cream sauce, keeping the spears and ends uncovered. Repeat with the second sheet. (If you’re using a puff pastry roll, you might need to adjust how mush sauce you use, see notes.)
Combine the egg with a tablespoon of cold water and beat to create an egg wash. Using a pastry brush, brush the outer border of the puff pastry with the egg wash.
1 egg
Place the tarts into the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, until the puff pastry is golden brown, puffed up around the border and crisp on the bottom, swapping the trays over if need be.
Remove the tarts from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing them into squares or fingers. Scatter over the basil and pine nuts and serve.
2 tablespoons pine nuts, 3-5 basil stems

Notes

A note on puff pastry: if you get puff pastry that is in roll, it’s better to let it sit in the fridge overnight or on the counter for a few hours before trying to unroll it and use it to make a tart. Check the instructions if you’re not sure. If you’re using already rolled puff pastry sheets, they only take about 15 minutes to defrost sitting on the counter.

There is enough cream sauce here to make 2 tarts using pre-rolled puff pastry sheets. If you’re using a puff pastry roll, you may need to roll it longer shape or only make 1 larger tart.

Don’t forget to trim your asparagus spears! To figure out where to trim (or peel if you want longer spears), bend a spear between your hands until the woody end snaps. A bunch of asparagus can usually be trimmed at the same spot, so you can line them up and cut off the rest of the tough ends, or you can snap off each spear individually, which is oddly satisfying.

Leftovers, if any, can be stored well-wrapped in the fridge for up to 3 days. Slices can then be reheated in a hot oven in about 10 minutes.

Did you make this recipe?Mention @food_daydreaming or tag #fooddaydreaming on instagram. I love seeing what you all come up with!

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