This is another dish that celebrates Spring!
This delicious tart has a creamy filling and light buttery pastry. It’s one of those recipes that you will go back to again again because it’s easy to make and so delicious to eat. It makes a perfect lunch served with my BABY LEAVES & HERB SALAD on a warm sunny day.
What you need
for the pastry
- 1½ cups (225g) plain flour
- 100g chilled unsalted butter – chopped
- pinch of salt
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tablespoons chilled water
for the filling
- 1 egg
- 250g fresh ricotta – drained
- 80g feta cheese – crumbled
- 1/2 cup pure pouring cream
- 1/4 cup basil leaves
- 2 bunches asparagus – rinsed and ends trimmed
What to do
To make the pastry, place the flour, butter and a pinch of salt in a food processor and whiz to fine crumbs.
Add the egg yolk and chilled water, then whiz until the mixture just comes together. Shape into a ball, wrap in cling wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 to rest.
Preheat oven to 200°C
Grease a 30cm x 20cm loose-bottomed tart tin.
Take pastry out of the refrigerator and roll to 5mm thick rectangle shape to fit the tin. Use the pastry to line the tin, trim any excess. Chill for 10 minutes.
Place a sheet of baking paper over the pastry and fill with pastry weights (uncooked rice or dried beans work fine). Bake for 10 minutes, then remove the paper and weights and bake for further 5 minutes. Cool slightly.
Reduce oven to 180°C.
For the filling, place egg, ricotta, feta, cream and basil in a food processor, season with salt and pepper, then whiz to combine.
Spread cheese mixture into the pastry shell and arrange the asparagus spears on top.
Bake for 20 -25 minutes or until the filling has set.
Cool slightly before removing from tin to cut and serve.
TIP: You can reuse any rice or beans you used as weights another time. Allow to cool and store in a labeled ziplock bag.
Meatballs and Muffins 