Best Herbed Ricotta Asparagus And Phyllo Tart Recipes

CHEESY ASPARAGUS TART

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the butter. When the butter has melted, add the leeks, then sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown around the edges, 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Unroll the two pie crusts and lay on a sheet pan so that the pieces overlap slightly. Trim the edges of the pastry where it rides up the sides of the sheet pan and press these trimmings into the bare areas so that you are left with a 10-by-16-inch pastry rectangle.
• Sprinkle over the fontina, leaving a 1-inch border, then top with the leeks. Dollop on the ricotta. Scatter the thyme and asparagus pieces over the ricotta and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Fold the uncovered pastry edge inwards to make a 1/2-inch border all the way around the tart, in the style of a galette.
• Whisk the egg with a splash of water in a small bowl. Brush it all around the pastry edge.
• Bake the tart until it is a deep golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. (If the crust is browning too fast, reduce the heat to 425 degrees F.)
• Remove the tart from the oven, then allow it to sit for 5 minutes. Cut into pieces and serve.

ASPARAGUS-RICOTTA TART WITH COMTE CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Roll out pastry on floured surface to 13x10-inch rectangle. Cut off 1/2-inch-wide strip from all 4 sides. Brush strips on 1 side with some of beaten egg, then press strips, egg side down, onto edges of pastry to adhere, forming raised border. Brush border with egg; reserve remaining beaten egg. Transfer to baking sheet. Chill while preparing filling.
• Steam asparagus just until crisp tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer to bowl of ice water to cool. Drain. Cut off top 2 to 3 inches of asparagus tops; set aside. Coarsely puree remaining asparagus stalks in processor. Add remaining beaten egg, ricotta, 3 teaspoons oil, and salt;process until thick puree forms. Transfer to bowl; stir in salami and 1/3 cup Comté cheese; season with pepper. Spread mixture evenly over pastry. Sprinkle with remaining 1/3 cup Comté cheese. Toss asparagus tips with remaining 1 teaspoon oil; arrange tips over filling.
• Bake tart until filling is set, about 25 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

FETA-AND-HERB PHYLLO TART

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit/200 degrees Celsius.
• Brush one of the phyllo sheets lightly with melted butter and place, butter side-up, in a 9-inch/25-centimeter round tart pan. Press the pastry into the corners and then brush another sheet of phyllo in the same way, pressing it into the pan at a 45-degree angle to the first sheet. Continue twice more (using 4 sheets total), covering the base and sides of the pan with a uniformly thick layer of phyllo. Trim the overhanging pastry, but not completely, leaving 1/2-inch/1 centimeter of phyllo over the edges of the tart. Set both the pan and pastry scraps aside.
• Take another sheet of phyllo (unbuttered this time) and position the long side in front of you. Fold the bottom edge up to form a fold 1 inch/3 centimeters wide. Continue folding the pastry in alternating directions (as if you were making a concertina fan) until you end up with 1 long pleated strip. Repeat with the remaining sheets of pastry in the same way. (If the pastry breaks or tears, pat it back into place and continue as if the torn pieces were still connected.)
• Starting from the middle of the tart tin, coil 1 folded strip from the middle outwards to start forming a rough snail, spreading the strips roughly 1/4 inch/1/2 to 1 centimeter apart. (You want visible gaps between the phyllo strips, so you can fill them with chunks of feta and the custard.) Meet the end of the pastry with the second strip and continue the snail in the same way until the 4 sheets have been used. You may still have some space around the edge, which you can fill with the scrap trimmings, folding them in the same way as best you can.
• Brush the pastry carefully with remaining butter and set any pastry coils upright if they've fallen over. Place tart pan on a baking sheet and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the pastry is a dark golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside to cool for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, mix feta, pecorino and herbs until blended and set aside.
• In a separate medium bowl, whisk together eggs, cream and milk with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a good grind of pepper.
• Gently press cheese and herbs in between the gaps of the phyllo pastry, being careful not to break the pastry base. Pour the custard over evenly, drizzling in just a little at a time and allowing it to soak evenly into all the gaps in the pastry. Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, until the custard has set and the cheese has browned. Remove from the oven and serve warm, cut into slices.