Asparagus Tart With Creamy Ricotta

The Summer Table

Posted by GMC Group

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4–6 portions ✦ 1 hour + 50 minutes

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You Will Need (16 things)

  • Tart Dough

  • 5 tbsp Cold Butter
  • ¾ cup All Purpose Flour
  • ½ cup scant Whole Wheat Flour
  • 5 tbsp (21/2 ounces) small-curd Cottage Cheese
  • ½ tsp Salt
  • 1 ½ tsp Cold Water

  • Filling

  • 2 –3 cloves of Garlic
  • 9 oz (about 1 cup) Ricotta
  • ¼ cup Cooked and squeezed dry Baby Spinach
  • Scant 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh Parsley
  • ⅗ cup Grated aged Cheese , like Parmesan or Pecorino
  • Salt and Black Pepper
  • ½ Bunch green Asparagus
  • 3 –4 large Eggs

Steps (4 steps, 110 minutes)

  1. 1

    Cut the butter into cubes. Quickly work together the butter, flours, cottage cheese, and salt, either in a food processor or by hand in a bowl, until pea-sized clumps form. Add the water and work together quickly into a smooth dough. Wrap in plastic and cool in the fridge for 20 minutes.

  2. 2

    Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and roll out into a disk about ⅛-inch thick. Add more flour to the surface as you roll so that the dough doesn’t stick. Line a 9-inch tart pan or springform pan with the dough. Be sure to press the dough gently along the bottom edge and pinch a little at the top of the side edges. Cut away the excess pie dough that may be hanging over the sides. Cover the pie shell with plastic wrap and let it cool in the fridge for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

  3. 3

    Remove the pie shell from the fridge, remove the plastic wrap, and prick the bottom with a fork. Cover the edges with aluminum foil and prebake in the middle of the oven for about 15 minutes or until the bottom is baked through and begins to brown. Remove the crust from the oven and remove the aluminum foil. Chop the garlic cloves for the filling and place in a bowl. Add the ricotta and blend together with the garlic, spinach, parsley, and ⅔ of the grated cheese. Season with salt and pepper and distribute the filling evenly in the pie shell.

  4. 4

    Break off the tough parts of the asparagus. Spread the asparagus lengthwise over the ricotta mixture and lightly press it into the mixture. Crack the eggs over the filling, season with salt and pepper, and top with the rest of the grated cheese. Bake in the middle of the oven for about 25 minutes, until the eggs are set and the edges are golden brown.