How Mr MWCED and I love fresh asparagus. Nothing can be subbed for it. We are happy to wait for the new season produce, especially the lovely long slim stalks. We’ve been eating it for about a month now, adding in to many dishes. This weekend I decided to make an Asparagus Tart, the easy way.
Asparagus Three Cheese Tart
1 sheet frozen puff pastry yep, that’s the cheat’s part
3 tablespoons ricotta really just use what you need
half/one cup grated mozzarella as above…..
basil leaves, as much as you like
¼ cup grated parmesan same….
One bunch fresh asparagus
One tablespoon olive oil I like to use good olive oil for this
Salt and pepper
Preheat oven to around 220C. Take out a sheet of pastry and let thaw. On a floured board shape pastry if you want to. I use it as is out of the packet. Put on an oven tray lined with baking paper. Lightly score pastry about 5cms in from edges. Pierce the pastry inside the scored lines with a fork at close intervals. Bake until lightly golden. Probably about 15 minutes.
Remove pastry from the oven and let cool down a little. (You can leave it for as long as you want to – if you are clever enough to be organised in advance). Spread pastry shell with ricotta, then mozzarella. Put basil leaves on top of cheeses, either whole or cut into shreds. Then place asparagus over the top, in whatever pattern you’d like (haphazard like me, or perfectly aligned if you’re somewhat anal). Sprinkle over grated parmesan, leaving a little to use just before serving. Gently cover asparagus with the olive oil and season with cracked pepper and sea salt.
Bake until tart looks golden and delicious and you can’t wait any more. Probably about 25 minutes. Add a little parmesan just before serving.
Spring Salad – lettuces freshly picked from the garden, vine ripened tomatoes seeds squeezed out cut into eighths, red pepper sliced thinly, fresh oregano, pepper and salt, some delicious olive oil, and balsamic syrup. Yummmm.
