Asparagus Tart 

Puff pastry always makes it look as if the cook worked extra hard, even though it is far from hard to prepare if you start with sheets of store-bought pastry. This buttery Asparagus Tart can be sliced into small squares as an appetizer. Accompanied by a fresh green salad, it also makes a fine main dish. Consider pairing it with a bottle of Italian Pecorino. Its bright acidity will contrast well with buttery puff pastry, while its sophisticated hints of jasmine or acacia will play nicely with the savory quality of the asparagus.

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Asparagus Tart 

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• Author: Cheryl Alters Jamison
• Yield: Makes a 10– X 14-tart, serving 6 as a light main dish, 8 or more as an appetizer 1x

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Description

Test this tarts versatility as an appetizer or main dish.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 sheet store-bought puff pastry, preferably an all-butter version such as DuFour
• 16 to 20 thin to medium-thick asparagus spears
• About 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 oz (about 1½ cups) shredded Fontina cheese
• Flaky salt and coarse-ground black pepper
• Fresh dill sprigs and/or snipped chives, optional

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Roll out the puff pastry sheet on a floured surface into a 10- X 14-inch rectangle. Trim uneven edges. Transfer the pastry to the baking sheet. Score the pastry on all 4 sides 1 inch in from the edge. Slice down into, but not all the way through, the pastry. Using a fork, dock (poke holes in it) the dough inside the marked rectangle at 1-inch intervals. This will help the pastry stay flat in its initial baking.
4. Par-bake the pastry for 12 to 14 minutes, until it has begun to color and rise a bit.
5. Toss asparagus with oil to coat lightly.
6. Remove the pastry crust from the oven. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the tart. Arrange the spears snugly side by side, arranging as many as will fit neatly in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
7. Return the tart to the oven and continue baking 15 to 20 minutes, until pastry crust is nicely browned and crisp and asparagus spears are tender. Scatter with dill or chives, if you wish. Slide the tart off the baking sheet and onto a baking rack to cool briefly. Serve warm or at room temperature, cut into squares.

Recipes and Story by Cheryl Alters Jamison 
Styling by Keith Recker 
Preparation by Jackie Page 
Photography by Dave Bryce

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