asparagus gruyere tart with pesto
Apparently it’s Finger Food Week in the FMG-iverse.
Fun story: I initially wrote a totally different recipe for today. I backtracked because for some reason the concept was causing me a lot of mental grief: it wasn’t bad by any means, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I could somehow do far better with it, despite the simplicity of the dish. So I buckled down, took a breath, and rerouted.
It was an itchy, rainy sort of day, not quite justifying holing up but cloudy and drizzly enough to wear sweatpants in public and eat a lot of cheese. The wind was quite fierce, too. I nearly lost a headband on an afternoon stroll, so loud were the gusts.
This week I guess I was anti-silverware, so we’re rolling with it and enjoying an Asparagus Gruyere Tart with Pesto today. I’ve stared down a box of puff pastry in my freezer every time I try to shove something new in the depths, and it wasn’t until I remembered a bag of asparagus haunting my fridge that I decided it was time to put up, shut up, and do it up.
Light lunch, simple dinner, or a treat for guests on a warm spring night, you’ll love this little thing as much as I do. Promise. The components are simple, pretty much crisper drawer or pantry staples, with a bit of elevation thanks to creamy gruyere cheese. Not something I often keep around, but when I do, it’s always a fabulous addition to anything I decide to make.
Smart Tart
This buttery, cheesy slab of goodness just yells springtime. Or yodels it, depending on where you live.
Any box of puff pastry will do. I used Trader Joe’s since that was my hoarded choice, and because of the size of the sheets I didn’t need to do any extra rolling. If yours are smaller, roll them both out to around 1/8 inch thickness. Lay one on a baking sheet lined with parchment.
Next, whisk up an egg and brush about a 1-inch border around the perimeter of the pastry you just set on the pan. Slice up strips of the other pastry sheet, long enough to fit around the edges of the first sheet, and while counting how many times I write sheet in this post press the strips to make a picture frame-esque border. Brush the tops of the strips with the egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds. I like the crunch of the seeds after the pastry bakes.
Homemade or store bought pesto works fine. I always recommend my feta pesto, but use what you’ve got or what you’ve the energy to create. Spread the pesto within the confines of the pastry border, then top with lots of shredded gruyere cheese. If you can’t find gruyere, or don’t want to fork out a small fortune for it (okay, it’s not that bad, but maybe more costly than many other cheeses), Swiss cheese is your best substitute.
Trim down your asparagus as much as you need to in order for the spears to fit within the borders. I like to arrange mine alternating directions – see the photos, I dunno how to describe that shit – as I think it looks rather appealing.
Pop the baking sheet in the fridge for about 15 minutes to chill the pastry. This is important – your puff won’t, well, puff, if you skip this step. It’ll just be a soggy sheet of shit, really.
After the pastry chills, pop it in the oven and watch the crusts go weeee and get big.
Prettify That Shit
After about 15-20 minutes in a 425 degree oven, you’ll have a buttery, melty, cheesy tart to enjoy.
Dish it out hot with some fresh basil, microgreens (really into those lately) and a crisp glass of cold white wine. I crack a little black pepper overtop, too. So nice.
The tart keeps pretty well in the fridge for about 3 days. I’d recommend reheating it in a 350 degree oven for about 8-10 minutes. Keep a close eye on it to prevent overpuffing or burning.
I guess the appeal of these finger foods is how easy they are when I’m feeling especially stressed out, which has been somewhat of the norm lately. I still haven’t done my taxes cos I’m a procrastinating ninny. Blargh.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Fuck utensils:
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asparagus gruyere tart with pesto
Ingredients
- 2 sheets puff pastry, thawed
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1/3 cup basil pesto, homemade or store bought
- 1 1/2 cups shredded gruyere cheese
- 1/2 lb asparagus, ends trimmed
- fresh basil, microgreens, and cracked black pepper, to serve
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment.
- Roll one puff pastry sheet out to 1/8 inch thickness. Transfer to the baking sheet and brush 1 inch of the borders with the beaten egg. Roll out the second puff pastry. Slice strips long enough to fit around the border of the first sheet. Place the strips atop the egg wash, then brush the tops of the strips with more egg. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- Prick the center of the pastry sheet with a fork. Spread the pesto, then top with the shredded cheese. Arrange the asparagus over the cheese in a row. Try to keep the components contained within the border you created. Drizzle the asparagus with 2 teaspoons olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Transfer the baking sheet to the fridge for 15 minutes.
- Remove the tart from the fridge. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the pastry is poofy, the asparagus tender, and the cheese gooey. Slice and serve warm with fresh basil, cracked black pepper, and sprouts, as desired.
