Asparagus and gruyère tart
This recipe uses four cheeses and seasonal asparagus to create a creamy home-baked tart. Jon Rotheram serves it up with a fresh watercress and roasted tomato salad.
Ingredients:
For the tart:
250g rough puff pastry (or bought puff pastry)A little flour, to sprinkle the tray1 egg, beaten170g Gruyère, sliced100g ricotta,85g mascarpone2 tbsp Parmesan, grated2 tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped2 tbsp tarragon, chopped1 bunch of asparagus, trimmedSalt and black pepper to season
For the salad:
12 plum tomatoes, cut in half lengthways, seeds removed100g watercress, rinsed2 tbsp olive oil1 ½ tbsp balsamic vinegar1 bunch of basil2 large garlic cloves, mincedSalt and pepper to season
Method
Start by making the tomato salad. Place the tomatoes, cut in half lengthways, in a roasting tray and season with salt and pepper.
in a bowl, mix the garlic, olive oil and vinegar and dip the basil leaves in. Place the basil mixture on top of the tomatoes and put the tray in the oven. Roast the tomatoes on a low heat for 50 to 60 minutes or until the edges start to blacken. Leave to cool when ready.
To serve, place the roast tomatoes in a serving dish, add the watercress on the side and drizzle with the juices from the tray. You can add a drizzle of olive oil and vinegar too, if the roasting juices aren't enough.
For the tart, pre-heat the oven to 180C. Roll the pastry out enough to fit in your tray and to the thickness of a £1 coin. Trim the edges.
Sprinkle your baking tray with a bit of flour and lay the pastry on it. Score the border and prick the base with a fork. Brush the edges of the tart with the beaten egg and bake for 15 minutes.
In a bowl, mix the ricotta, the mascarpone, the herbs and half of the Parmesan, and season with salt and black pepper
When ready, remove the tray from the oven, squash down the centre of the tart if it has risen too high, and spread the cheese mixture over it. Scatter the Gruyère on top and put the asparagus along the length of the tart, alternating the direction of the tips.
Brush with a little olive oil, sprinkle over the remaining Parmesan and bake for about 20 minutes more
Serve a slice of tart with the tomato salad on the side
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