Asparagus Goat Cheese Tart! From America’s Test Kitchen and Cook’s Illustrated new cookbook, Vegetables Illustrated! Light, flaky and buttery and so much flavor from the asparagus, olives and goat cheese! You’re going to love this!
It’s finally feeling like spring and I’m so happy to be sharing this recipe with you all! This tart utilizes one of my favorite vegetables, asparagus!
Asparagus is in season now and I just think it’s so beautiful and so versatile to cook with. I’ve made tarts on The TODAY Show, asparagus quiche, asparagus pesto, pasta with asparagus, shaved asparagus on pizza, risotto with asparagus and so much more!
And now with this new cookbook from Cooks Illustrated, I have so many more recipes to explore!
Photo from America’s Test Kitchen
Vegetables Illustrated
“This cookbook is for anyone looking for fresh, modern ways to add more vegetables to their everyday diet . . . in other words, just about all of us. This authoritative, practical, and inspirational guide could only have come from Cook’s Illustrated. Our easy-to-master techniques will broaden your vegetable horizons in endless ways. Discover reinvented versions of everyday favorites—potatoes scored 36 recipes, and broccoli, broccolini, or broccoli rabe stars in 28 recipes—and exciting introductions to everything you’d find at the farmers’-market, from fiddleheads and garlic scapes to kohlrabi and baby pattypan squash. Dive in for meaty and meat free-mains, apps, soups, pasta, even baked goods and desserts. Vegetables Illustrated has you covered for every vegetable and every season.”
Order the cookbook today!
You can read more about the cookbook here and order it as well! It’s on sale today (25% off) for just $29.99!
Just a few of the amazing recipes you’ll find inside the cookbook:
- Carrot-Habanero Dip
- Potato and Chorizo Tacos
- Whole Romanesco with Berbere and Yogurt-Tahini Sauce
- Stir-Fried Thai-Style Beef with Chiles and Shallots
- Zucchini Bread with Pistachios and Orange
Asparagus Goat Cheese Tart
I absolutely adore working with puff pastry! It’s like croissant dough: flakey, buttery and oh so good! I do recommend this brand. It’s twice as much as the more popular generic brand but if you take a closer look at the ingredient list, you’ll know why.
This is the perfect recipe to make right now! When entertaining, just having some friends over, for a brunch, or even just for yourself! We hope you enjoy!
“This beautiful tart takes just minutes to assemble and makes for an impressive brunch dish, appetizer or even a simple light lunch or dinner. The buttery, flaky puff pastry was absolutely irresistible and so easy to prep. For a fresh, light filling, we simply scattered the asparagus and other toppings over the pastry base. Cutting the asparagus spears into thin 1-inch pieces made the tart easier to eat and ensured that the asparagus didn’t need pre-cooking. For a creamy base and to anchor the toppings, tangy, soft goat cheese nicely complemented the bright, grassy asparagus.”
Asparagus Goat Cheese Tart
Ingredients
- 6 ounces thin asparagus trimmed and cut 1/4 inch thick on bias into 1-inch lengths (1 cup)
- 2 scallions sliced thin
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons pitted kalamata olives chopped
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 4 ounces goat cheese softened
- 1 9 1/2 by 9-inch sheet puff pastry thawed
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to upper-middle positions and heat oven to 425 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Combine asparagus, scallions, 1 tablespoon oil, olives, garlic, zest, salt, and pepper in bowl. In separate bowl, mix 3/4 cup goat cheese and 1 tablespoon oil until smooth. Set aside.
- Unfold thawed puff pastry onto lightly floured counter and roll into 10-inch square; transfer to the parchment lined baking sheet. *Lightly brush outer 1/2 inch of pastry square with water to create border, then fold border toward the center, pressing gently to seal. *Alternatively, you can score the puff pastry dough to create a border: Using sharp paring knife, score puff pastry around perimeter of pastry square, 1/8 inch deep. (Do not cut through pastry.) For presentation purposes, I found that scoring the dough worked better.
- Spread goat cheese mixture evenly over the center of the puff pastry (avoiding border), then scatter asparagus mixture over top. Crumble remaining 1/4 cup goat cheese over top of asparagus mixture.
- Bake until pastry is puffed and golden and asparagus is crisp-tender, for about 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes. Drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Cut into 4 equal pieces and serve.
- Alternatively, you can pre-bake the tart shell: Adjust oven racks to lower-middle and top positions and heat oven to 400 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and place puff pastry in center of sheet. Grease underside of 8-inch square baking pan, place in center of puff pastry, and fill pan with pie weights. Using sharp paring knife, score puff pastry around perimeter of pan, 1/8 inch deep. (Do not cut through pastry.) Leaving pan on pastry, bake on lower-middle oven rack for 20 minutes. Remove pan, rotate sheet, and continue to bake until pastry is golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes. Then, add in the asparagus mixture and bake again for only 10 to 15 minutes.
The Cookbook Giveaway
I am partnering with America’s Test Kitchen to giveaway TWO copies of this cookbook! Enter by leaving a comment down below and telling us your favorite vegetable to cook with. You can also enter over on my Instagram (for a second chance to win!). Good luck! Giveaway is open to United States residents only. Giveaway ends Tuesday, March 26, 2019 at 12 midnight EST. America’s Test Kitchen is providing two cookbooks for this giveaway. Winners will be announced on Instagram. No purchase necessary to enter.
