I had a friend over for dinner the other night, and I had the joy of turning her onto puff pastry. It was like Christmas morning when we were kids.
“Ooooh, it’s so pretty!”
Yes, it was.
Puff pastry is magical because it can elevate the simplest ingredients into a full-on art presentation. Oh, and it takes little-to-no time to come together.
Magic, indeed.
It’s great to keep in the freezer for nights when you want a gorgeous meal that’s light on prep. Sometimes I make puff pastry dishes for myself when Jedd has band practice and I’m craving an indulgent dinner. And that was how this tart came about. While he was rocking in the Cave of Legends, I was sipping a crisp malbec and diving into this crispy and lemony asparagus tart. And best of all was the look on his face when I gave him half this tart at midnight with a side salad.
“I was NOT expecting this!”
Asparagus, Leek and Parmesan Tart
Serves 2.
Ingredients:
1 bundle asparagus, trimmed
1 leek, sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¾ cup shredded parmesan, divided
1 piece puff pastry, thawed
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375.
Place the asparagus, leek, olive oil, lemon juice, dill, salt and pepper in a resealable plastic bag. Work the bag, so that the oil and lemon are mixed well. Let marinate for 5 minutes.
Place the puff pastry on a large, rimmed cookie sheet and, using a pairing knife, score a line around the pastry half an inch from the the edge to form a border. (The sides will puff up to create a tall edge.) Use a fork to poke holes all over the middle of the puff pastry – everywhere but the border that you just created. The middle won’t puff, but the edges will. Sprinkle half of the cheese over the pastry. Top with the asparagus and leeks. Sprinkle remaining parmesan over the asparagus and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and the cheese is melted.
(Photo by Launie Kettler)