Light spring tart: crisp pastry, creamy ricotta, tender asparagus and bright lemon zest—ideal for brunch or a starter.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pastry
01 - 1 sheet (about 9 oz) ready-rolled puff pastry, thawed if frozen
→ Ricotta filling
02 - 1 cup (about 8.8 oz) ricotta cheese
03 - 1/4 cup crème fraîche or sour cream
04 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan (about 1 oz)
05 - 1 large egg
06 - Zest of 1 lemon
07 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
08 - 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
09 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Topping
11 - 12–15 thin asparagus spears, woody ends trimmed
12 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
13 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
14 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives or parsley (optional)
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Unroll the puff pastry onto the prepared sheet, score a 1/2-inch border around the edge without cutting through, and prick the center all over with a fork.
03 - In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta, crème fraîche, grated Parmesan, egg, lemon zest and juice, grated garlic, salt and black pepper; stir until the mixture is smooth and homogenous.
04 - Spread the ricotta mixture evenly within the scored border and arrange the asparagus spears across the filling; trim spears or halve them lengthwise to ensure even coverage if necessary.
05 - Drizzle the asparagus with olive oil, season with additional black pepper, then bake on the middle rack for 25–30 minutes until the pastry is golden and the asparagus is just tender.
06 - Allow the tart to cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, garnish with chopped chives or parsley if desired, slice and serve warm or at room temperature.
