Asparagus Tart Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly flour the work surface and roll out the puff pastry to a 9- by 12-inch even rectangle. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Combine the mascarpone, 1 1/4 teaspoons of the salt, the flour, egg and lemon zest, and then fold in the chives and tarragon. Spread over the puff pastry, leaving a 3/4-inch border. Make small cuts around the border about 1 inch apart with the tip of a paring knife.
• Toss the asparagus with the olive oil in a bowl. Lay half of the asparagus in a neat row across the surface of the tart so the tips meet the edge. Do the same in the opposite direction with the remaining asparagus. Season with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and some pepper. Bake until the border of the tart is deep golden and puffed and the top is lightly spotted golden brown, about 25 minutes. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes and serve.
• Serve with lightly dressed greens.

Steps:

• Make pastry:
• Blend together flour, salt, and butter in a bowl with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) until most of mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps. Drizzle evenly with egg and gently stir with a fork (or pulse in processor) just until a dough forms.
• Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 4 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather dough into a ball, then flatten into a 5-inch disk. Chill dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 30 minutes.
• Make filling while pastry chills:
• Wash leek in a bowl of cold water, agitating water, then lift out leek and pat dry.
• Cook asparagus in a wide 4- to 5-quart pot of boiling salted water , uncovered, until just tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer asparagus with tongs to a bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking, then drain and pat dry. Cut off and reserve tips (leave more stalk if asparagus is thin), then thinly slice stalks crosswise.
• Heat butter in a 10- to 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately low heat until foam subsides, then cook leek with 1/4 teaspoon salt, stirring, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in sliced asparagus and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and remove from heat.
• Finish filling and assemble and bake tart:
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and put flan ring in center of baking sheet. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin into an 11-inch round, then fit dough inside flan ring, pressing dough against bottom edge and side of ring. Run rolling pin over top edge of ring to cut off excess dough.
• Whisk together cream, 2 eggs, tarragon, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Lightly beat remaining egg with water in a small bowl and brush tart shell all over with some egg wash. Spoon asparagus mixture into shell, spreading evenly, then pour cream mixture over asparagus.
• Bake tart until filling is just beginning to set but still loose on top, 20 to 25 minutes. Scatter asparagus tips over top, pressing lightly if necessary to help them settle into filling, then continue to bake until custard is golden and just set but still slightly wobbly in center, about 30 minutes more (custard will continue to set as it cools).
• Cool tart on baking sheet on a rack until warm, about 30 minutes. Loosen edge with a small sharp knife, then lift off flan ring. Serve warm or at room temperature, cut into wedges.
• *Available at cookware stores and Bridge Kitchenware (212-688-4220; bridgekitchenware.com).

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees. In a medium bowl, use a fork or a wooden spoon to mash together the goat cheese, egg, garlic, tarragon, lemon zest, salt and nutmeg until smooth. Switch to a whisk and beat in the crème fraîche until smooth.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out puff pastry into a 13-by-11-inch rectangle about 1/8-inch thick. Transfer the dough to a parchment-lined cookie sheet. With a sharp knife, lightly score a 1/2-inch border around the edges of the puff pastry.
• Spread the crème fraîche mixture evenly inside the scored border. Line up the asparagus spears on top, and brush them with olive oil. Sprinkle some salt and the grated Parmesan over the asparagus.
• Bake until the pastry is puffed and golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Let it cool on the cookie sheet for at least 15 minutes or up to 4 hours before serving. Then sprinkle black pepper, red-pepper flakes (if using), the shaved Parmesan and tarragon leaves. Drizzle a little oil on top.

Steps:

• Roll out puff pastry into a 14-inch square on a lightly floured surface; cut into a 13-inch round with a paring knife (use a bowl or a plate as a template). Transfer to a 9-inch round baking dish or a 5 1/2-to-6-cup deep-dish pie plate. Prick all over with a fork. Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line tart shell with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Place on a baking sheet and bake until edges turn pale golden brown, about 40 minutes. Remove crust from oven and remove pie weights and parchment. Return crust to oven and bake until bottom is dry and golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes more. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
• Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons salt. Add asparagus stalks and cook until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl of ice water; when cool, transfer to a plate and pat dry. Add asparagus tips to boiling water and cook 30 seconds. Drain and transfer to ice water; drain when cool. Pat tips dry and toss with oil in a bowl. Transfer stalks to a blender. Add eggs, cream, flour, and 1 1/4 teaspoons salt to blender and puree until very smooth.
• Pour custard into crust. Sprinkle with Gruyere and goat cheese and top with asparagus tips. Bake until edges of custard are puffed, top is golden brown, and center is set, about 40 minutes. (Tent with foil if necessary to prevent overbrowning.) Let cool on a wire rack 15 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• Put the flour in a bowl, add the butter to the flour and rub in with your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the grated cheddar into the pastry and mix. Add 3 tbsp cold water and mix until the pastry forms a ball. Wrap in cling film and chill for 5 mins. Butter a 20 x 6cm deep loose-bottom tart tin, or a 35 x 12cm rectangular tart tin.
• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Lightly dust the work surface with flour, roll out the pastry and line the tin. Chill in the freezer for 20 mins, then line the pastry case with baking paper, fill with beans and cook for 15 mins. Remove the beans and paper, then return the pastry case to the oven for 10 mins.
• Crack the eggs into a jug, whisk, then add the milk and whisk again. Sprinkle half the grated cheese over the pastry case, then add the asparagus, egg mix and remaining cheese (if using a rectangular tin, you may not need all the mixture, so add it gradually). Bake in the lower half of the oven for 30-35 mins or until the egg mix is set.

Steps:

• place the flour in a bowl and add the spread.rub the spread into the flour with your finger tips,until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.add 2 tbsp cold water and bring the mixture together into a ball.chill for 10 minutes.
• heat the oven to 200c/180c fan/gas 6.
• roll the pastry out onto a lightly floured surface and line a 9inchx1inch tart loose bottomed tin.chill for 10 minutes.
• blind bake the pastry case for 10 minutes.removethe baking paper and beans and return to the oven for a further 5 minutes.
• dry fry the pancetta strips until crispy and arrange in the bottom of the flan case.
• beat the eggs,creme fraiche and parmesan together.season well with black pepper and pour into pastry case.
• cut the asparagus spears in half and remove the woody stems.fan the spears out on top of the egg mixture.bake for 25-30 minutes until golden.

Steps:

• Roll out the puff pastry sheet to a 16 x 10 inch rectangle. Score a line around the puff pastry 1 inch from the edge. Brush the mustard around the inside of the cut. Sprinkle the cheese over the mustard. Arrange the asparagus in a single layer over the cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Brush the outside inch of the pastry with the oil. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven until the asparagus is tender and the pastry is golden brown, about 15-25 minutes.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat.
• Lay puff pastry out on the prepared baking sheet. Fold edges up to create a 1/2-inch wide border. Prick inside base of dough completely with a fork.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden and puffed, about 10 minutes. Press puffed center down with the back of a fork to deflate.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add asparagus and cook uncovered until bright green, about 1 minute. Drain in a colander and immediately immerse in ice water for several minutes until cold to stop the cooking process. Drain.
• Stir mustard, creme fraiche, black pepper, and cayenne pepper together in a small bowl; spread into the bottom of the cooled tart shell. Lay asparagus spears, trimming as necessary to fit the tart shell, in the center of the tart on top of the mustard spread. Brush melted butter over the asparagus and crust and sprinkle Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese over the top.
• Bake in the oven until pastry is browned and asparagus is tender, 10 to 12 minutes.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Roll out pastry, line tart pan with the pastry and cover the pastry with foil. Weigh down with dry beans or pastry weights. Place in the oven and bake 10 to 12 minutes, until the pastry looks dry. Remove foil and weights and continue baking until the pastry is golden, about 15 minutes longer. Remove pastry from the oven and increase oven temperature to 375 degrees.
• Melt butter in a skillet, add the onions and saute slowly until they are transluscent and tender. Snap the ends off the asparagus and peel them about half way up from the bottom. Cut the asparagus into half-inch-thick slices on a sharp slant. You should have about one cup of cut asparagus. Add to the skillet with the onions, toss in the butter and add the chives. Season with salt and pepper.
• Scatter the asparagus mixture in the baked pastry shell. Whisk the eggs and half and half together and pour into the shell. Sprinkle with the cheese. Place in the oven and bake until set and golden brown, about 40 minutes.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Open crust on work surface. Press out any cracks. Rub with flour. Arrange dough, flour side down, in 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Press dough into pan.
• Fold excess dough border over to form double-thick sides. Pierce dough all over with fork. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Cool on rack. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F.
• Cook asparagus in pot of boiling salted water until just crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Drain well. Place on paper towels. Mix half and half, eggs, cheese, tarragon and salt in bowl. Season with pepper. Arrange asparagus in spoke-of-wheel fashion in crust, tips toward edge and ends meeting in center. Pour custard over. Bake until tart puffs and top browns, about 35 minutes. Cool slightly.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a floured surface, roll the puff pastry into a 16-by-10-inch rectangle. Trim uneven edges. Place pastry on a baking sheet. With a sharp knife, lightly score pastry dough 1 inch in from the edges to mark a rectangle. Using a fork, pierce dough inside the markings at 1/2-inch intervals. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes.
• Remove pastry shell from oven, and sprinkle with Gruyere. Trim the bottoms of the asparagus spears to fit crosswise inside the tart shell; arrange in a single layer over Gruyere, alternating ends and tips. Brush with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake until spears are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. In a large skillet, bring 1 in. of water to a boil; add asparagus. Cook, covered, until crisp-tender, 3-5 minutes. Drain and pat dry., On a lightly floured surface, roll pastry sheet into a 16x12-in. rectangle. Transfer to a parchment-lined large baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes., Sprinkle 1-1/2 cups cheese over pastry to within 1/2-in. of edges. Place asparagus over top; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Mix remaining ingredients; drizzle over top. Bake until cheese is melted, 10-15 minutes. Serve warm.

Steps:

• Blanch asparagus (just till it turns bright green) and chill in ice water.
• Unroll thawed puff pastry sheet on baking sheet.
• Brush with mustard, leave a 1" border.
• Lay asparagus spears on pastry, alternate ends so each cut will get tips as well as the stem.
• Sprinkle with cheese & pepper.
• Beat 1 egg with 1 Tbsp of milk, brush border with the egg wash.
• Bake at 450 for about 15 - 20 minutes, till puffed & pastry is browned.
• Cut down the middle through the asparagus spears, then across to make 8 or 10 pieces.