Asparagus tart with honey mustard dressing
- Prepare
- less than 30 mins
- Cook
- 30 mins to 1 hour
- Serve
- Serves 6
- Dietary
- Pregnancy-friendlyVegetarian
Showcase asparagus in all its green glory with this easy puff pastry tart, served with rocket for a vibrant spring lunch.
By Verity Genco
Ingredients
For the asparagus tart
- 320g/11½oz ready-rolled puff pastry sheet
- 500g/1lb 2oz asparagus spears, trimmed to approximately 19cm/7½in
- 200g/7oz crème fraîche
- 1 lemon, zest only
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh chives
- olive oil, to drizzle
- 15g/½oz pine nuts
- 1 free-range egg, lightly beaten
- 4 tbsp finely grated Parmesan (or alternative vegetarian hard cheese)
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the honey and mustard dressing
- 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
- 2 tbsp honey
- 5 tsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
To serve
Method
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Roll out the puff pastry onto a baking tray with its baking paper.
Use a sharp knife to carefully score a 2cm/¾in rectangular border into the pastry. Your trimmed asparagus should neatly fit within the scored lines.
In a small bowl, combine the crème fraîche, lemon zest and chopped chives along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Spread the crème fraîche mixture within the borders of the pastry tart, taking care not to exceed the lines.
Arrange the asparagus spears snugly on top of the crème fraîche mixture. Drizzle some olive oil over the asparagus and sprinkle with the pine nuts.
Use a pastry brush to brush the pastry border with the beaten egg, then sprinkle the Parmesan around the border.
Bake the tart for 20–35 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and risen at the edges.
Meanwhile, to make the honey and mustard dressing, in a small bowl whisk together the wholegrain mustard, honey, olive oil and apple cider vinegar.
When ready to serve, drizzle the dressing over the warm tart. Finish with an extra zesting of lemon over the tart, if you like, and fresh rocket on the side.
Recipe tips
This recipe can easily be made gluten-free if you buy gluten-free pastry.
Remember to cut the tough ends off the asparagus – but don’t discard them! You can freeze these ends and use them later in stocks and soups.
This tart is best eaten straight away, but if you need to reheat the next day, heat through at 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6 for 10 minutes to regain some of the tart’s crispiness.
