Asparagus and Goat Cheese Tarts (with puff pastry)

Ingredients

 To make my Asparagus Tarts, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• Puff pastry (275g roll or 2 sheets frozen, thawed): Puff pastry is buttery, flaky, and the perfect base for these tarts. I prefer to use ready-rolled puff pastry such as Jus-Rol, and always keep some in the fridge for quick meals like this.
• Asparagus (18 spears, trimmed): I wait ALL winter for the first asparagus of spring, my favourite vegetable. In these tarts the asparagus is still fresh and vibrant, with a lovely concentrated flavour. Look for smaller asparagus spears for the most beautiful presentation.
• Cream cheese (150g / 5 oz): To create a creamy, rich base for the filling, I use a spreadable cream cheese.
• Goat’s cheese or feta (150g / 5 oz): Adds tanginess to the tarts, depending on which cheese you go for, you’ll need to adjust the salt to suit your tastebuds.
• Fresh herbs (2 tsp, finely chopped) : Thyme, parsley, chives or basil are all great in these tarts – or a mixture of all of them!
• Lemon zest (½ lemons): Lemon is a natural partner to asparagus, enhancing its glorious flavour (like in my Asparagus and Lemon Risotto. SO GOOD!).
• Egg (1, beaten) : I know eggs can be expensive, so as an alternative you can use milk or better still, a tablespoon of mayonnaise mixed with a little milk (it’s got egg in it after all!)
• Sesame seeds (1 Tbsp) : Adds crunch and a slightly nutty flavour to the edges, and makes it look a bit spesh.
• Parmesan cheese (2 Tbsp, grated) : For an extra cheesy finish. To be fair, I think just about everything can be improved with a little grated Parmesan!

Instructions

I have always been a cheerleader for simple recipes with big flavours, and my Asparagus and Goat’s Cheese Tarts tick all the boxes. They are so simple to make (though you’ll need a good sharp knife to trim the pastry) that you can have them on the table in around half an hour.

1. First, heat the oven to 220°C (200°C Fan) / 425°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. If using one roll of pastry, cut it in half to make two sheets. If using two sheets, roll them into rectangles on a lightly floured surface. Stack one sheet on top of the other, then cut into six equal rectangles.
2. Next, take the top layer of each rectangle, cut out a smaller rectangle inside (leaving a 1 cm / ⅓  inch border), and place it back on top to create a raised edge. This helps contain the filling and puffs up beautifully to enclose the cream cheese. Transfer the tart cases to the prepared baking tray.
3. To make the filling, mix cream cheese, goat’s cheese, fresh herbs, black pepper, sea salt, and lemon zest until smooth. If the cheese is too firm, let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes to soften.
4. To assemble the tarts, spread a thin layer of the cheese mixture inside each pastry frame. Lay 3 trimmed asparagus spears on top, pressing them in lightly. Brush the edges of the pastry with the beaten egg (or mayonnaise!) then sprinkle with sesame seeds. Sprinkle a handful of grated Parmesan over the top (who doesn’t love Parmesan, am I right?), then bake in bottom third of the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until puffed and golden.