Asparagus Ham And Mascarpone Tart Recipes

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.

MASCARPONE, HAM, AND ASPARAGUS TART

Steps:

• To assemble tart, spread filling evenly into cooled crust. Top with asparagus-ham-arugula mixture and serve.

ASPARAGUS, HAM AND MASCARPONE TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180 C, line 2 trays with baking paper.
• Cut each pastry sheet into 4 squares, then lightly score a 2.5 cm border around each square.
• Place squares on trays and chill.
• Melt butter in frypan and cook onion for 3 - 4 minutes.
• Finely chop ham in food processor.
• Add onion, mustard and mascarpone and pulse to combine.
• Season to taste.
• Spread mixture within pastry border on each square.
• Top with asparagus spears.
• Brush pastry borders with beaten egg.
• Bake 20 - 25 minutes till pastry is golden.
• Serve topped with parmesan.

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.

ASPARAGUS GRUYERE TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a floured surface, roll the puff pastry into a 16-by-10-inch rectangle. Trim uneven edges. Place pastry on a baking sheet. With a sharp knife, lightly score pastry dough 1 inch in from the edges to mark a rectangle. Using a fork, pierce dough inside the markings at 1/2-inch intervals. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes.
• Remove pastry shell from oven, and sprinkle with Gruyere. Trim the bottoms of the asparagus spears to fit crosswise inside the tart shell; arrange in a single layer over Gruyere, alternating ends and tips. Brush with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake until spears are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

PEA, ASPARAGUS & HAM HOCK TART

Steps:

• First, make the pastry. Rub the flour, butter, mustard powder (if using), parmesan and 1 tsp fine salt together in a large bowl using your fingertips until the mixture resembles sand. Or, do this by pulsing the ingredients together in a food processor. Gradually add 4-6 tbsp cold water, pressing the mixture together until you have a soft dough. Briefly knead the dough until smooth.
• Roll the pastry out between two sheets of baking parchment until 3mm thick and large enough to line a 20 x 7cm loose-bottomed springform cake tin. Remove the top layer of parchment and invert the pastry into the tin, or drape it over the rolling pin and unravel it into the tin. Push the pastry into the base and up the side - there should be about 1½cm excess pastry that comes above the rim. Use your thumbs and index finger to crimp the excess around the edge. Chill for at least 1 hr 30 mins or overnight.
• Meanwhile, cook the peas and asparagus in a pan of boiling water for 3 mins, or just 2 mins for defrosted frozen peas. Immediately plunge into a bowl of ice-cold water to halt the cooking process, and leave to cool in the bowl for 2 mins. Drain and set aside until needed.
• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Prick the base of the chilled pastry case all over with a fork. Scrunch up a piece of baking parchment, then use it to line the case, leaving some overhanging. Fill the case all the way to the top with baking beans or uncooked dry beans or rice. Bake for 15 mins, then remove the beans and parchment and bake for 10-15 mins more until golden. Don't worry if it shrinks from the edge slightly. Leave to cool while you make the filling.
• Whisk together the eggs, double cream and crème fraîche, then mix in the herbs, spring onions, lemon zest and juice, parmesan and cooked peas. Season with sea salt and a good crack of black pepper, then pour the filling into the baked case. Sprinkle the shredded ham hock over, pressing it into the filling slightly, then arrange the asparagus spears on top.
• Turn the oven down to 190C/170C fan/gas 5 and bake the quiche for 45-55 mins until golden on top with a slight wobble in the middle. Leave to cool for 20 mins in the tin, then serve warm or leave to cool completely and chill until needed. Will keep chilled for three days.
• When ready to serve, toss the pea shoots and mangetout with the olive oil, then pile in the middle of the quiche. Cut into wedges to serve.

ASPARAGUS HAM DINNER

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large cast-iron or other heavy skillet, saute asparagus and yellow pepper in oil until crisp-tender. Add tomatoes and ham; heat through. Drain pasta; add to mixture. Stir in parsley and seasonings. Sprinkle with cheese.

ASPARAGUS & PARMESAN PASTRIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Mix the mascarpone with the Parmesan, basil and lemon zest, then season.
• Lift the pastry onto 2 trays, then score around the edges of each piece to make a thin border. Spread the cheese mixture within the borders.
• Toss the asparagus in the oil, then arrange the bundles on top of the pastry (these can be stacked a bit for height). Bake the pastries for 20-25 mins until golden, then serve warm topped with the dressed salad leaves and a few shavings of Parmesan.

DEEP-FILLED ASPARAGUS & MASCARPONE TARTLETS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and cut into 12 pieces, roughly 8cm square. Use each piece to line the holes of a 12-hole muffin tin and use a ball of trimmings to press the pastry right down into the corners.
• Press a large piece of foil over the tin and down into the holes, then fill each with baking beans. Bake for 15 mins until puffed up and golden, then remove the foil and cook for 10 mins more. Don't worry if the pastry puffs right up.
• Meanwhile, trim the asparagus and separate the stalks from the tips. Bring a large pan of water to the boil, cook the stalks for 6 mins, then fish them out and place in a bowl of iced water. When cold, drain them again. Cook the tips separately for 3 mins, then place in the iced water. Put the stalks, mascarpone and eggs into a small bowl, season generously with salt and pepper, then use a hand blender to blitz everything to a frothy green custard.
• Use a spoon to push the pastry back down into the holes and fill each with the custard. Drop an asparagus tip into each, then crumble over the goat's cheese. Return the tarts to the oven for 10-15 mins until the custard has puffed up and set. Leave to cool before removing from the tins.