The last of my British asparagus, mozzarella, soft cheese and basil all needed to be used, so I added a few extra bits, a sheet of puff pastry and they became a tart for dinner.
An easy and delicious recipe which only requires one roasting tray, perfect to make in any van or tiny space with an oven.
I mix fresh basil and seasonings into the soft cheese which makes a tasty bed for the roasted veggies. You can replace this with ricotta and/or any pesto.
As for the pastry, I usually have puff pastry sheets in the freezer, just for such an occasion.
I hope you’ll enjoy this seasonal tart.
Portions: 2
Prep and Cook Time: About an hour
Cookware: A lined roasting tray (2 sheets of baking parchment)
Oven: 180C / Gas 5
- 120g asparagus – trimmed
- 1 medium courgette – halved and cut into long strips
- 1 sheet of puff pastry – approx 20cm x 30cm
- 100g – 120g soft cheese
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano or basil
- 1 ball mozzarella – torn into pieces
- 30g parmesan – grated
- 1 tbsp pinenuts
- salt and pepper
Method
First step is to place the asparagus and courgette strips on the lined baking tray, drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt. Roast for about 10 minutes, until they are cooked and slightly charred.
Remove from the oven and take the parchment and veggies off the tray. Put aside.
Once the baking sheet has cooled, cover it with the second piece of parchment and place the puff pastry on top. With a sharp knife point, lightly score a border 2cms from the pastry edge, but do not cut right through the pastry. Then with a fork, lightly pierce the puff pastry within the border to prevent it from rising too much.
Pop into the oven for 10 minutes, until just turning golden.
Mix the soft herbs, of choice, into the soft cheese with seasonings to taste.
Remove the pastry base from the oven and spread the cream cheese mixture within the border. Top with the roasted asparagus spears and courgette strips, then evenly distribute the mozzarella pieces, sprinkle with parmesan and pinenuts.
Return to the oven for 10 – 12 minutes until the pastry is golden and cheese melting.
Serve
Sprinkle the tart with a few extra chopped herbs, simply cut into quarters and serve with a dressed green salad or veg of choice.
Enjoy – we love this meal!
