Fancy Asparagus Tart Food

SPRING ASPARAGUS TART

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.

CHEESY ASPARAGUS TART

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the butter. When the butter has melted, add the leeks, then sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown around the edges, 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Unroll the two pie crusts and lay on a sheet pan so that the pieces overlap slightly. Trim the edges of the pastry where it rides up the sides of the sheet pan and press these trimmings into the bare areas so that you are left with a 10-by-16-inch pastry rectangle.
• Sprinkle over the fontina, leaving a 1-inch border, then top with the leeks. Dollop on the ricotta. Scatter the thyme and asparagus pieces over the ricotta and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Fold the uncovered pastry edge inwards to make a 1/2-inch border all the way around the tart, in the style of a galette.
• Whisk the egg with a splash of water in a small bowl. Brush it all around the pastry edge.
• Bake the tart until it is a deep golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. (If the crust is browning too fast, reduce the heat to 425 degrees F.)
• Remove the tart from the oven, then allow it to sit for 5 minutes. Cut into pieces and serve.

FANCY ASPARAGUS TART

Steps:

• Defrost 1 sheet of frozen puff pastry (usually this takes 40 minutes at room temperature).
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Drain and rinse the beans. Clean the asparagus, trim their tough ends and cut them in half.
• Add all ingredients, except for the asparagus and puff pastry, to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until everything is nice and smooth. You might need to use more or less rice milk depending on the consistency you want.
• Lay a parchment paper on top of a cookie sheet. Spread the puff pastry on it (you can roll it a bit if you want to). Cut the pastry sheet into 4 equal pieces.
• Spread your bean mix on top of the pastry leaving a 1/2 inch border on all sides. Top with the asparagus halves.
• Bake the individual tarts for 22-24 minutes.

ASPARAGUS AND CHEESE TART

Steps:

• Fill a large bowl with ice water. Bring about 1 inch of water to a boil in a large skillet. Add the asparagus; cook until bright green and crisp-tender, 2 to 5 minutes, depending on the thickness of the asparagus. Drain and transfer to the ice water to stop the cooking; drain and pat dry. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Roll out the puff pastry into a 10-by-16-inch rectangle on a floured surface. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and prick all over with a fork. Bake until light golden brown, about 12 minutes. Let cool slightly on the baking sheet.
• Meanwhile, mix the fontina, comte, shallot, egg yolks, milk, nutmeg and a pinch each of salt and pepper in a bowl until combined. Spread the cheese mixture evenly over the puff pastry, leaving a 1-inch border on all sides. Toss the asparagus with the olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Arrange the asparagus on the tart and bake until the cheese mixture is slightly puffy, 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with the lemon zest. Serve warm or at room temperature.

GREEK ASPARAGUS TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°.
• Press Greek Baking-Powder Piecrust into a 10-inch quiche dish coated with cooking spray.
• Combine eggs and egg whites in a medium bowl; beat well with a whisk. Brush 2 tablespoons egg mixture over crust; set remaining egg mixture aside. Bake for 7 minutes; cool on a wire rack.
• Snap off tough ends of asparagus; remove scales with a knife or vegetable peeler, if desired. Cut asparagus into 5-inch pieces. Steam asparagus, covered, 5 minutes or until tender. Rinse under cold water. Drain well; set aside.
• Add skim milk and remaining ingredients to remaining egg mixture in bowl, and beat well. Pour into prepared crust. Arrange steamed asparagus spokelike in egg mixture, alternating stems and tips.
• Bake tart at 375° for 35 minutes or until a knife inserted near center of tart comes out clean.

CAESAR ASPARAGUS TART

Steps:

• Blend garlic cloves, dijon mustard, lemon juice, worcestershire sauce, hot sauce and gradually add oil while blending.
• After it's well mixed, add paremsan cheese and black pepper.
• Blanch asparagus (boil for 1-2 minutes then place in an ice bath).
• Spread out asparagus in a baking pan, top with the caesar salad mixture.
• Prepare the puff pastry dough, roll it out flat until you have a rectangle shape.
• Create a border around the edges of the puff pastry, approximately 3/4" wide, using a small sharp knife.
• Then create diagonal score marks around the edges of the puff pastry.
• Poke holes throughout the pastry dough using a fork.
• Brush the egg yolk + water wash around the crush (edges).
• Bake the pastry at 400F for 10mins.
• To make part filling, combine egg, ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, chives, black pepper--mix using a whisk.
• Spread tart filling evenly on top of the pastry.
• Spread the asparagus evenly on top of the filling.
• Gently place 2 eggs (make sure not to break the yolk) on top of the asparagus.
• Bake at 400F for 25mins.

ASPARAGUS & CHEESE TART

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.

ASPARAGUS GRATIN...FANCY AND GOOD!

Steps:

• Butter a 2- to 2 1/2-quart shallow ceramic flameproof baking dish.
• Cook asparagus in a 5- to 6-quart pot of boiling salted water, uncovered, until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes.
• Drain in a colander, then transfer to baking dish and keep warm, tightly covered with foil.
• Meanwhile, heat oil and butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over high heat until foam subsides, then cook shallots, stirring occasionally, until pale golden, about 3 minutes.
• Add bread and pine nuts and cook, stirring, until browned in spots, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and add pepper, 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, and 1/4 teaspoon salt, tossing to combine.
• Preheat broiler.
• Toss warm asparagus with mascarpone, remaining 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt until combined well.
• Sprinkle bread-crumb mixture evenly over asparagus. Broil 5 to 7 inches from heat until topping is golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes.