Asparagus and ricotta tarte fine
This simple puff pastry tart featuring seasoned ricotta and fresh asparagus is a good option if you are running out of different ways to serve asparagus during the season. The egg in the ricotta will make the filling soufflé slightly around the spears of asparagus.
'Here's a feast with a Southern French slant to celebrate the end of spring and beginning of summer,' says chef Alex Jackson of Leila's Shop in Shoreditch, E2. It starts with carefully chosen crudités with a punchy anchovy dip, then a simple asparagus tart with seasoned ricotta and Parmesan. Next, a grand aïoli is the most convivial of dishes, centred round a sauce fiery with garlic and heady with olive oil. The main feature is a whole roast John Dory, jumbled with clams, courgettes, more garlic and sweet basil, along with white wine, shellfish and olive oil to create ambrosial roasting juices. To finish, there is a set cream with poached cherries, their crimson liquor spiked with pastis.'
Asparagus and ricotta tarte fine
Recipe information
Yield
6
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Heat the oven to 200°C/fan oven 180°C/mark 6. Roll out the pastry sheet if necessary - or simply unfurl - onto a baking tray. It should measure around 30 x 20cm when rolled out.
Step 2
Put the ricotta and crème fraîche into a bowl and mix together. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs. Whisk most of them into the ricotta mixture, saving a little for egg washing the edges of the tart later. Season the mixture with salt and freshly ground black pepper, plus the lemon zest and nutmeg. Then grate in 50g Parmesan. Mix well and check that it tastes delicious. Spread the mixture onto the puff pastry, leaving a 2cm border on all sides.
Step 3
Snap off the woody bottoms of the asparagus stalks. Lay the spears along the length of the tart, all in the same direction. Season with salt and drizzle with the olive oil. Paint the borders of the tart with the remaining beaten egg; then put the tart in the oven.
Step 4
Transfer to the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the pastry is flaky and golden brown, and the asparagus is cooked.
Step 5
Remove from the oven, allow to rest for a few minutes, then grate the remaining 25g Parmesan over the top. Slice and serve.
