asparagus tart with herby goat cheese
the ultimate spring breakfast / lunch / brunch dish
It’s been a big week around here… Week 1 of our Spring CSA is officially in the books!
Sending that first round of veggie boxes out into the world is a bit like sending your kid off to kindergarten… you just hope that the many months of preparation, hard work, sweat and tears paid off, and that they find their way and make you proud.
I’m grateful that the first CSA pick-up day on Tuesday went super smoothly… the first week back is always a little rusty getting everything churning and training new team members, but I’m lucky to have a rockstar crew helping me harvest, wash, and pack up all the beautiful spring veggies that are coming out of the field right now.
It’s felt like summer this week with temps in the mid 80’s and good ole North Carolina humidity coming back around, though the next few days are going to be cold, rainy, and totally dreary.
The low temp on Sunday is forecasted to be 34 degrees, which is dangerously close to freezing (which would mean I’d have to spend hours covering up our tender veggies to protect them from frost)… but I’m crossing my fingers that it will be *just* warm enough, and we won’t have to cover the whole farm. Oh, the joys of farming in tandem with Mother Nature. :)
Alright, time to get cooking! Keep scrolling for this week’s banger of a recipe, Asparagus Tart with Herby Goat Cheese.
If you’re in search of the ultimate spring breakfast / lunch / brunch recipe that *tastes* and *looks* super gourmet, but couldn’t be easier to make.. look no further. I know this weekend there will be lots of epic Easter brunches happening, and I can promise you this lil number will be a crowd pleaser.
This Asparagus Tart with Herby Goat Cheese starts with a delishhh herb-filled and lemony goat cheese + ricotta situation, which you slather onto some pre-made puff pastry* and top with spring asparagus, peas, and some Parmesan cheese… and 25-30 minutes in the oven later, you’ve got yourself a dish that’s as impressive looking as it is delicious. Martha Stewart ain’t got nothin on you, babe. A note that this tart is vegetarian, but if you want to be #extra, there’s nothing stopping you from topping it with some salty, succulent prosciutto slices as soon as it comes out of the oven. ;)
*A note about puff pastry – don’t be a dummy like me and pull your puff pastry out of the freezer 10 minutes before you plan to put the tart in the oven. As I quickly remembered, it takes a few *hours* to properly thaw frozen puff pastry (my favorite brand is DuFour) – so take it out of the freezer and put it in your refrigerator for 2-3 hours to slowly thaw and keep all those yummy, buttery layers in tact.
See below for the full recipe, and you’ll also find a one-page PDF version for easy printing.
Asparagus Tart with Herby Goat Cheese
Serves 4-6
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup (4 ounces) plain goat cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup (4 ounces) ricotta cheese, at room temperature
1 large egg, lightly beaten, at room temperature
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint, plus more for serving
1 tablespoon lemon zest (from about 1 lemon)
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
All-purpose flour (for dusting the work surface)
1 sheet/square all-butter puff pastry, *thawed if frozen* (about 9 to 14 ounces; brands vary)
1 bunch (about ½ lb or 8 ounces) thin asparagus, woody ends trimmed
½ cup peas, thawed if from frozen
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Extra-virgin olive oil
Flakey sea salt
A few slices of Prosciutto, torn into pieces as optional garnish
PREPARATION
Heat the oven to 425 F.
In a medium bowl, combine the goat cheese, ricotta, egg, mint, lemon zest, salt and a bit of black pepper until smooth. Set aside.
Toss the trimmed asparagus spears in a medium bowl with a tablespoon or two of olive oil and a pinch of kosher salt, set aside.
Line an *un-rimmed* cookie sheet with parchment paper, and lightly dust the parchment paper with all-purpose flour.
Directly on the parchment paper (which is still on your cookie sheet) gently roll out the thawed puff pastry into a 13-by-11-inch rectangle, about ⅛-inch thick. With a sharp knife, lightly score a ½-inch border around the edges of the puff pastry (be careful to not cut all the way through the dough).
Spread the goat cheese mixture evenly *inside* the scored border. Line up the asparagus spears on top of the cheese mixture. Top the asparagus with ½ cup peas and a healthy dusting of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Bake in the middle rack of the oven until the pastry is puffed and golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes (if you have a particularly hot oven, you may want to check at closer to 20-25 minutes). Let it cool on the cookie sheet for at least 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
To serve, garnish with more grated Parmesan cheese, freshly chopped mint, perhaps a little more lemon zest, some flaky sea salt, and an extra drizzle of olive oil. And if you want to be #extra, when the tart comes out of the oven, top it with a few slices of prosciutto, torn into pieces.
*A note that I like to dig right in and eat the warm slices with my hands, like pizza! But enjoying with a fork + knife works great too. ;)
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