Asparagus Tart with Puff Pastry

Best Puff Pastry for an Easy Asparagus Tart

This recipe is so easy and quick to make thanks to store-bought puff pastry. For the best asparagus tart, use all-butter puff pastry ("pur beurre" in France). It gives a crisper crust and better flavour than pastry made with vegetable fats.

Puff pastry is ideal as a tart crust as it doesn't even need a tart tin. Just use it flat on a baking sheet, score with a knife in from the sides to create a little outside crust. Then it's so easy to spread over a thick lemon and parmesan cream and top with halved asparagus spears.

Here I use ready-made rolled round puff pastry but if yours is square or rectangular, then this tart is great in all shapes! If using frozen puff, simply defrost first.

This is what I've been making for years for a quick family lunch when I don't have much time. I just rustled it up one day with my favourite flavours with asparagus: lemon and parmesan and it just stuck. I only started working out the proportions so I could share this!

How to Make Asparagus Tart with Puff Pastry

• First roll out a sheet of ready-made puff pastry. 
• This almost feels like cheating but, as ready-rolled puff (pâte feuillétée in French) is such a regular item to be found in the supermarkets' chilled sections, why not make use of our 'fast food' à la française. Otherwise defrost from frozen and roll it out.
• Using the back of a sharp knife, score a light line about 1cm from the edge of the puff. This will help raise the puff pastry to create a natural tart edge in the oven. Although not essential, prick the pastry with a fork.

Asparagus Tart with Parmesan & Lemon

To make a quick sauce, just stir together a couple of egg yolks, crème fraîche, lemon zest and add some freshly grated parmesan. Please don't use the ready prepared sachets of grated parmesan. For full flavour, grate from a block of fresh parmesan (even better, Reggiano).

We have tried this on many occasions using grated Gruyère or Emmental (these are also easy to find ready-grated in the French supermarkets). While the latter is also good, as it's lighter than the others, anything like Gruyère or Comté shredded cheese are a little too overwhelming for asparagus, in my humble opinion.

If you love cheese with asparagus, then try these mini asparagus clafoutis served in a puddle of silky parmesan sauce. The combination is divine.

As well as the lemon zest, I like to add a touch of turmeric. It's not only a cheaper version of saffron, but it's also healthy too and an excellent match with lemon. Try it in this savoury white asparagus and lemon clafoutis.

How Long Does Puff Pastry Take to Bake?

Most ready-made puff pastry takes 20-25 minutes to bake at 200°C (400°F) until golden.

For this asparagus tart, first sprinkle with a little more grated parmesan and some nuts. This beauty bakes in 25 minutes but it also roasts the halved asparagus spears at the same time.

How to Serve

Serve the tart hot or warm from the oven for either a starter if entertaining or as a light lunch or supper. Top with some fresh chervil or other fresh herb of your choice.

After ordering asparagus tarts in Paris and Provence, I noticed many chefs add almonds or hazelnuts for crunch. It works surprisingly well with asparagus and parmesan - and I add it to this roasted asparagus too.

More Easy Recipes With Store-Bought Puff Pastry

Ready-made puff pastry is such a handy ingredient to have in your fridge - especially as it's easy to whip up a quick tart with it, both savoury and sweet. Here are our family favourites:

• French tomato tart with mustard
• Onion Tarte Tatin with Cheese - recipe also on video
• Quick French Apple Tart (Tarte fine aux pommes)
• Tarte Tatin - the classic French dessert
• Peach Tart with Puff Pastry