Hi, I am ending the week with a yummy Asparagus Ricotta Tart. I love to eat savoury tarts with some salad when the weather is warm.
The pastry is really easy to make and can be made in advanced. It can be kept in the fridge for 3 days or in the freeze for up to a month. It can also be made by hand if you do not have a mixer or just because you like to make it with you hands 🙂
You can keep some of the asparagus the full length like I have done to place on the top if you with to do so or you can just keep some of the spears separate and place them on the top however be as rustic or creative as you heart desires.
We have been away for a few day close to the beach and have been able to relax and recharge, we will be heading home tomorrow so we will miss the weekend crowd as I am not a fan of very busy places 🙂 Luckily we have had some lovely weather, the sea has been quite rough today but it was lovely to sit and watch the waves crashing over the rocks.
I hope you enjoy xx
The pastry that I have used here is from a book call The Cook and Baker
Asparagus and Ricotta Tart
- 250 g ricotta
- 100 ml cream
- 300 g asparagus (cut into 2 – 3 cm pieces (about 500g before removing woody bases))
- 2 eggs
- 40 g parmesan cheese (grated)
- 1 teaspoon seeded mustard
- salt and pepper
- FOR THE PASTRY
- 300 g plain flour
- 150 g cold butter (diced)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 125 ml cold water
- To make THE PASTRY – Using an electric mixer, place the flour, butter and salt in the bowl with the paddle attachment and mix on a low speed until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the cold water and continue to mix until it all comes together as a dough. Remove from the bowl and roll it into a flattened ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Roll out the pastry to fit a 28cm flan dish or a loose bottom tart tin, leaving the excess to drape over the sides of the dish.
- Prick the bottom of the pastry with a fork and then line the pastry with greaseproof paper and weigh it down with baking beans.
- Bake for about 15 minutes and then remove the baking bean and greaseproof paper and bake for another 5 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and trim off the excess pastry.
- Blanch the cut up asparagus for about 4 minutes and then immediately drain and run under cold water.
- In a medium bowl, mix the ricotta, cream, eggs, seeded mustard and some salt and pepper together.
- Sprinkle the grated parmesan cheese over the pastry base, followed by the asparagus. Pour over the ricotta mixture and place asparagus spear heads on top if you wish to.
- Place in the oven and cook for 30 minutes, or until the tart is set and golden in colour.
