Make the most of this delicious and healthy English favourite while it’s in season by encasing it in pastry and conjuring up the easiest, most delicious light lunch or spring picnic.
Simply add herbs, cheese, Kerrygold butter and pastry to your asparagus and serve it up with whatever your situation demands – salad, vegetables, potatoes or more light sharing dishes.
Serves: 6
Cooking time: 35 mins
Preparation time: 25 mins
INGREDIENTS
250g(10oz) rough puff pastry or shop-bought puff pastry
25g (1oz) Kerrygold salted butter – melted
Dusting of flour, for the tray
Bunch of asparagus, trimmed
1 egg, beaten
100g (4oz) ricotta
75g (3oz) mascarpone
Zest 1 lemon
2 tbsp each snipped chives and chopped curly parsley
1 tbsp grated parmesan
1 tbsp grated cheddar
METHOD
- Heat oven to 200C/gas mark 6.
- Roll out the pastry to about 15 x 30cm and the thickness of a £1 coin. Trim the edges and transfer to a lightly floured baking tray. Score a 1cm border making sure you don’t go all the way through the base.
- Prick all over the pastry base with a fork, brush the edges of the tart with beaten egg and bake for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile mix the ricotta, mascarpone, lemon zest, herbs and the cheddar in a bowl with salt and lots of black pepper.
- Remove tray from the oven, squash down centre of the tart and spread with the cheese mixture. Place asparagus along the length of the tart, alternating the direction of the tips.
- Brush with the melted Kerrygold butter, scatter over the remaining parmesan and bake for 20 minutes more.
- Serve warm.
Recipe courtesy of Adams Food Ltd.