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Asparagus goat cheese tart is a delicious vegetarian recipe that is filled with asparagus, peas, broad beans, and fresh herbs. It is known as a true celebration of spring produce and is a great idea for a Sunday roast or part of an Easter feast. Not only is it an ideal treat for the holidays, but this dramatic tart is also perfect for weekend brunch or a light weekend dinner. Read along for more about this recipe!
Asparagus and Goat Cheese Tart Recipe
Ingredients for the Pastry
- 300 grams of plain flour
- 150 grams of unsalted butter, cut into cubes, and chilled
- 150 ml of cold water
Ingredients for the Filling
- A large handful each of fresh chickpeas in a pod, peas in a pod, and sugar peas
- One tbsp of extra-virgin olive oil
- 12 asparagus stalks, trimmed
- 6 spring onions, 1 cm thick
- One small gem of lettuce, halved and sliced into ribbons
- Small handful of fresh tarragon and flat leaf parsley, chopped (buy here)
- Handful of fresh lovage leaves, roughly chopped (buy here)
- 150 grams of soft goat cheese (buy here)
- 2 medium-sized chicken eggs, plus 2 egg yolks
- 100 ml of whole milk
- 300 ml of double cream
Instructions
- First things first, make the pastry. Start by grinding the flour and butter in a food processor with a little bit of salt to the consistency of breadcrumbs. While it’s blending, gradually add the cold water, and stop the machine as soon as the dough comes together. Take out the dough, knead it a few times, then wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Remove the pastry from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature before rolling it.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C or 160°C. Roll out the dough into a circle 3mm thick and a few centimeters wider than your tart pan. Line a baking sheet with pastry, leaving an overhang. Prick the base, then line it with parchment paper and raw long beans/rice. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove the beans/rice and paper and return the dish to the oven for another 10 to 12 minutes. Once it turns golden, remove it from the oven and cut off any overhanging pastry. Set it aside.
- For the filling, prepare chickpeas and pea pods (you can leave very small pods whole). Set a large skillet over medium heat. Add one tbsp of extra-virgin olive oil, then the asparagus. Season it and cook for about two minutes. After that, add the sliced spring onions, peas, lettuce, and broad beans.
- Cook a few more minutes until the lettuce is wilted; you’ll need to remove the greens from around the pan. Add tarragon, parsley, and lovage to the pan. Again, season with lots of salt and pepper and place in the tart squares. Dot the cheese on top.
- Mix whole eggs, yolks, milk, and cream in a pitcher. Season and mix well, then pour the batter over the tart filling.
- Carefully transfer the tart to the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the top is speckled golden and the filling is slightly puffed. Rest for at least 20 to 30 minutes before serving.
Tips for Asparagus Cheese Tart
- Whether you’re at a farmer’s market or supermarket, you want to look for smooth stems and firm, tight ends. Wrinkled, gnarled stems and messy tops indicate dehydration and age. You also want to avoid limp and drooping stems. Fresh asparagus will make nice, straight lines.
- In case you can’t find fresh peas, use frozen peas. You can get lovage from farmers or get your hands on the seeds; lovage is easy to grow at home. Otherwise, use the same amount of extra parsley.
- You can use a 22-cm-round tart container instead of a rectangular tin if you’d like.
- Line the tart tin with pastry, then cover and refrigerate for up to one day.
- If you don’t eat the goat cheese and asparagus tart at once, store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. The puff will soften slightly but will last up to three days. Eat leftovers at room temperature or heat them in the toaster oven for about 4 to 5 minutes.
Products for Asparagus Goat Cheese Tart
1. Goat Cheese
Brought to you by Whole Foods Market, this goat cheese comes in a 6-ounce container, offering the best goat cheese with a smooth texture and creamy flavor. It is made with cultured, pasteurized goat milk, powdered cellulose, salt, and microbial rennet. The product is handcrafted, certified GMO-free, and vegetarian.
2. Tarragon
This is a McCormick tarragon that is known for having a highly aromatic, licorice-like flavor. The brand offers 0.37 ounces of tarragon in a flip-flop bottle. This product has been carefully harvested and dried to keep its bright color and fresh, herbaceous taste. It is perfect for many recipes, including roasted chicken, béarnaise sauce, soups, and herb butter for vegetables.
3. Lovage Leaves
For the lovage leaves, we recommend this product as it is a 100% natural product with no additives added. The product is freshly picked and packed in a paper bag with 100 grams of lovage leaves. It is popular for making tea or infusions. Of course, you can also add these leaves to your favorite recipes, like this asparagus tart with goat cheese.
4. Food Processor
To help smooth your ingredients, you will need a good food processor. This one comes from Hamilton Beach and is a very popular product. It is known for its ability to chop, slice, shred, mince, and puree. This equipment comes with features like a bowl scrapper attachment, a 10-cup capacity, two speeds plus pulse, and 450 watts of power. Not to mention the large feed chute that can fit large foods like a whole block of cheese.
5. Tart Tin
This tart tin has a dimension of 11 x 7 x 1.25 inches. It is made from durable carbon steel with an exclusive premium non-stick coating. The tin distributes heat evenly, allowing your baked goods to brown perfectly. It is designed with a drop out bottom for quick cooling and removal and can fit in a toaster oven.
6. Baking Paper
To perfectly make this asparagus goat cheese tart, you definitely don’t want to mess up your tart or kitchen. To help, you can use parchment baking paper. This is a 70-square-foot roll that is unbleached, chlorine-free, greaseproof, and silicone coated. The paper can fit 13-inch pans and is great for roasting, baking, reheating, and wrapping leftovers.
