Asparagus Pastry Recipe 465

ASPARAGUS AND CHEESE TART

Steps:

• Fill a large bowl with ice water. Bring about 1 inch of water to a boil in a large skillet. Add the asparagus; cook until bright green and crisp-tender, 2 to 5 minutes, depending on the thickness of the asparagus. Drain and transfer to the ice water to stop the cooking; drain and pat dry. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Roll out the puff pastry into a 10-by-16-inch rectangle on a floured surface. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and prick all over with a fork. Bake until light golden brown, about 12 minutes. Let cool slightly on the baking sheet.
• Meanwhile, mix the fontina, comte, shallot, egg yolks, milk, nutmeg and a pinch each of salt and pepper in a bowl until combined. Spread the cheese mixture evenly over the puff pastry, leaving a 1-inch border on all sides. Toss the asparagus with the olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Arrange the asparagus on the tart and bake until the cheese mixture is slightly puffy, 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with the lemon zest. Serve warm or at room temperature.

FONTINA ASPARAGUS TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. In a large skillet, bring 1 in. of water to a boil; add asparagus. Cook, covered, until crisp-tender, 3-5 minutes. Drain and pat dry., On a lightly floured surface, roll pastry sheet into a 16x12-in. rectangle. Transfer to a parchment-lined large baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes., Sprinkle 1-1/2 cups cheese over pastry to within 1/2-in. of edges. Place asparagus over top; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Mix remaining ingredients; drizzle over top. Bake until cheese is melted, 10-15 minutes. Serve warm.

ASPARAGUS TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Roll out pastry, line tart pan with the pastry and cover the pastry with foil. Weigh down with dry beans or pastry weights. Place in the oven and bake 10 to 12 minutes, until the pastry looks dry. Remove foil and weights and continue baking until the pastry is golden, about 15 minutes longer. Remove pastry from the oven and increase oven temperature to 375 degrees.
• Melt butter in a skillet, add the onions and saute slowly until they are transluscent and tender. Snap the ends off the asparagus and peel them about half way up from the bottom. Cut the asparagus into half-inch-thick slices on a sharp slant. You should have about one cup of cut asparagus. Add to the skillet with the onions, toss in the butter and add the chives. Season with salt and pepper.
• Scatter the asparagus mixture in the baked pastry shell. Whisk the eggs and half and half together and pour into the shell. Sprinkle with the cheese. Place in the oven and bake until set and golden brown, about 40 minutes.

ASPARAGUS PASTRY PUFFS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. In a large skillet, bring 1-1/2 in. of water to a boil. Add asparagus; cook, uncovered, 1-3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Remove asparagus and immediately drop into ice water. Drain and pat dry., In a small bowl, mix cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, mustard, lemon juice, salt and pepper until blended. Unfold puff pastry sheets; cut each sheet in half to make a total of four rectangles. Spread each rectangle with a fourth of the cream cheese mixture to within 1/4 in. of edges. Arrange asparagus over top, allowing tips to show at each end; roll up jelly-roll style. Using a serrated knife, cut each roll crosswise into four sections., Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, seam side down. In a small bowl, whisk egg with water until blended; brush lightly over tops., Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan to a wire rack; serve warm.

ASPARAGUS AND BRIE OPEN PASTRY

Steps:

• First preheat your oven to 400°F.
• Take out your large cutting board and dust with flour lightly.
• Gently roll the sheet of puff pastry into a rectangle 16x10 inches.
• Trim the edges if they are crooked.
• With a knife, score (gently) 1 inch in from the edges to mark a rectangle.
• Use a fork and pierce the dough inside the markings at 1/2-inch intervals.
• Randomly scatter some baking beans so the dough doesn't poof up badly (you know, the kind you use when blind baking pie dough!).
• Bake 12 minutes.
• Leave your oven on, but remove pastry from the oven.
• Layer the slices of brie over the top (leave a small edge).
• Cut your asparagus to the width of the pastry and arrange in a single layer over your brie slices (you could make it pretty or whatever by putting top to bottom top to bottom alternating ends that are on each side).
• Brush top with the seasoned olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and bake 25 minutes.
• Serve!

ASPARAGUS IN PUFF PASTRY

Steps:

• In a large nonstick skillet, bring water to a boil. Add asparagus; cover and cook for 3 minutes. Drain asparagus and immediately place in ice water; drain and pat dry. In a bowl, beat cream cheese and salt until smooth; set aside., Unfold the dough on a lightly floured surface. Cut each sheet in half widthwise. For each rectangle, spread cream cheese mixture lengthwise over half of the dough to within 1/2 in. of edges. Arrange two rows of three asparagus spears lengthwise in a single layer over cream cheese., Brush edges of dough with some of the egg substitute; fold dough over filling and press edges together to seal. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour., Cut widthwise into 1-1/4-in. pieces. Place 1 in. apart on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Brush with remaining egg substitute. Bake at 425° for 8-12 minutes or until golden. Serve warm.

ASPARAGUS GRUYERE TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a floured surface, roll the puff pastry into a 16-by-10-inch rectangle. Trim uneven edges. Place pastry on a baking sheet. With a sharp knife, lightly score pastry dough 1 inch in from the edges to mark a rectangle. Using a fork, pierce dough inside the markings at 1/2-inch intervals. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes.
• Remove pastry shell from oven, and sprinkle with Gruyere. Trim the bottoms of the asparagus spears to fit crosswise inside the tart shell; arrange in a single layer over Gruyere, alternating ends and tips. Brush with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake until spears are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

SPRING ASPARAGUS TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly flour the work surface and roll out the puff pastry to a 9- by 12-inch even rectangle. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Combine the mascarpone, 1 1/4 teaspoons of the salt, the flour, egg and lemon zest, and then fold in the chives and tarragon. Spread over the puff pastry, leaving a 3/4-inch border. Make small cuts around the border about 1 inch apart with the tip of a paring knife.
• Toss the asparagus with the olive oil in a bowl. Lay half of the asparagus in a neat row across the surface of the tart so the tips meet the edge. Do the same in the opposite direction with the remaining asparagus. Season with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and some pepper. Bake until the border of the tart is deep golden and puffed and the top is lightly spotted golden brown, about 25 minutes. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes and serve.
• Serve with lightly dressed greens.

ASPARAGUS AND PARMESAN CREAM PASTRY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F; remove pastry dough from freezer and let thaw for 10 minutes.
• While dough is thawing, wash and trim asparagus so it is 1 1/2 inches shorter than width of pastry sheet.
• In medium bowl, combine cream cheese, grated Parmesan, chopped basil leaves and lemon juice; set aside.
• Unfold dough onto a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray; cut into 4 equal rectangles.
• Separate slightly; spread cream cheese mixture onto each of the pastry rectangles, alternating directions, not quite to each edge.
• Press four asparagus spears onto each rectangle, alternating direction.
• Sprinkle pastries with sea salt and drizzle with olive oil.
• Bake for 18-22 minutes until pastries are golden brown.
• Remove from oven, cut each pastry in half and transfer to serving platter.
• Garnish with a sprinkle of shave parmesan cheese and serve.