Asparagus and Goat Cheese Tarts (with puff pastry)
by Jay Wadams
Crispy, golden pastry filled with tangy goat cheese and topped with fresh asparagus. I love to serve these tarts for a light dinner or at a party. They tick all the boxes: Simple, beautiful, and absolutely delicious.
Ingredients
- 275 g roll of puff pastry or 2 defrosted sheets of pastry, rolled into rectangles
- 150 g cream cheese softened
- 150 g goat’s cheese or feta
- 3 tsp fresh herbs thyme, parsley, chives or basil, finely chopped
- Zest of ½ lemon
- ½ tsp sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 18 asparagus spears trimmed
- 1 egg beaten, for egg wash,
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds
- 4 Tbsp grated Parmesan
Scan the QR Code to view the online recipe with detailed instructions, photos, hints, tips and more at daysofjay.com
Instructions
- PREPARE: Heat the oven to 220°C (200°C Fan) / 425°F. and line a baking tray with baking parchment paper.
- ROLL OUT PASTRY: If you are using ready-rolled puff pastry, unroll it fully and cut it in half so you have two equal sheets. If using 2 defrosted sheets, gently roll each into a rectangle on a floured surface. Stack one sheet on top of the other, then cut into 6 smaller rectangles.275 g roll of puff pastry
- CUT PASTRY: Take the top layer of each rectangle and cut a window inside, leaving a 1 cm (¼ inch) border. Place the cut-out top layer back on top to form a raised frame. This will puff up when baked and hold all the filling inside. Place all 6 on the prepared baking tray.
- MAKE THE FILLING: Mix cream cheese, goat’s cheese, herbs, lemon zest, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper in a small bowl.150 g cream cheese, 150 g goat’s cheese or feta, 3 tsp fresh herbs, Zest of ½ lemon, ½ tsp sea salt, freshly ground black pepper
- ASSEMBLE THE TARTS: Spread the cream cheese mixture inside the pastry frames, then lay 3 asparagus spears on top, trimming them to fit (scissors or a small sharp knife make this easier). Brush the pastry edges with the beaten egg, then sprinkle sesame seeds. Sprinkle grated Parmesan over the asparagus.18 asparagus spears, 1 egg, 1 Tbsp sesame seeds, 4 Tbsp grated Parmesan
- BAKE: Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until puffed and golden brown.
- SERVE: Allow to cool slightly before serving warm, garnished if you like with some extra fresh herbs and a squeeze of lemon juice. These tarts suit a fresh spring salad of rocket (arugala) with a little olive oil and balsamic, and definitely a lovely cold glass of Sauvignon Blanc or Rose.
Notes
Don't waste the trimmed asparagus ends! You can discard the woody bit, but the trimmings make awesome little snacks. Wrap them in the pastry offcuts, brush them with egg and sprinkle with Parmesan and black pepper. Bake alongside the Asparagus Tarts. These barely make it out of my kitchen as I consider them chef's treats!
Nutrition
Serving: 1tart | Calories: 448kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 78mg | Sodium: 745mg | Potassium: 196mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 878IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 211mg | Iron: 3mg