Mushroom, Asparagus and Ricotta Tart

Today’s recipe for a mushroom, asparagus and ricotta tart is all about looking elegant and fancy, even though you and I both know that in real life, we secretly eat tortilla chips and salsa standing up in the kitchen while wearing sweatpants. I’m all about recipes that look beautiful, taste great, and hide laziness. This tart is one of those recipes.

June was a hot, sticky month in London. The city was gripped by England’s performance in the World Cup, watching each and every game with breathless hope and subdued excitement. If you’ve ever followed England in the World Cup, as I have for half of my life, you’ll know that they’re like the Boston Red Sox of the international soccer world — all the money, talent and resources to be a world champion, but never able to deliver when it really counts. Our family got swept up in the action, hosting viewing parties and generally cheering for what could, at any moment, turn into a disastrous fail.

Being World Cup obsessed meant that we had little time for thinking about anything else, including cooking. But I can’t stay away from the kitchen for too long without feeling itchy, and I needed to make something for our friends to snack on while we got swept up in football fever.

This mushroom, asparagus and ricotta tart is an ideal treat for a crowd. I used premade puff pastry, which comes in frozen rolls that can be defrosted in the refrigerator. Once defrosted, puff pastry can be unrolled to make the base of this tart. I sauteed some roughly chopped portobello mushrooms and asparagus, and, after spreading a thick layer of lemon-scented ricotta on my pastry base, sprinkled the veg mix on top with a little fresh chopped parsley. The result is a creamy and crunchy, savory and satisfying snack.

mushroom asparagus and ricotta tart

Sure, it’s not the typical game-watching snack of chips and beer, but this mushroom, asparagus and ricotta tart is addictive all the same…

Mushroom, Asparagus and Ricotta Tart

Time45

CourseAppetizer, Breakfast, Main Course

CuisineAmerican, French

Servings6

Ingredients

1 package of pre-made (frozen puff pastry)
1 15- ounce container ricotta cheese (about 2 cups)
1 egg (slightly beaten)
lemon zest and juice from one lemon
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 portobello mushrooms (rinsed, stems removed and roughly chopped)
1/2 pound 250 g asparagus
1 garlic clove
a handful of chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Defrost the puff pastry either on your kitchen counter or in the refrigerator (usually the package has instructions/guidance on how long this will take).
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius).
Cut off the woody ends of the aspargus and roughly chop.
Heat a skillet over medium heat and drizzle in the olive oil. When the oil is shimmering, add the garlic and stir for one minute. Add the mushrooms and the asparagus and saute until the mushrooms are soft and the asparagus is bright green but still has a little bit of crunch to it. Remove from heat and drain off any excess liquid. Set aside
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or a silicone baking mat) and unroll the puff pastry on top.
Mix the ricotta, beaten egg, lemon zest, lemon juice and a pinch of salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Using a rubber spatula, spread a thick layer of ricotta onto the puff pastry, leaving about a 1-inch border around all the sides. Sprinkle the asparagus and mushroom mixture on top, then slide the puff pastry into the oven. Bake for 20-22 minutes until the puff pastry is golden brown around the edges.
Sprinkle the chopped parsley on top and serve immediately.

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