Donal Skehan's delicious spring veg tart
Take one sheet of shop-bought puff pastry and pile it high with lots of delicious spring ingredients and, hey presto, you get these beautiful veggie tarts! Perfect for a speedy midweek meal or as part of your Easter weekend celebration.
Donal's spring greens & ricotta cheese tart
Serves 4
Ingredients
500g frozen puff pastry block, thawed
1 egg, beaten
250g ricotta cheese
50g pecorino cheese, finely grated
Few fresh thyme sprigs
Zest of 1/2 lemon
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the topping
200g peas, blanched and drained
6 asparagus spears, finely sliced on a mandolin
1 small courgette, finely sliced on a mandolin
Zest & juice of 1/2 lemon
Small handful of pea shoots
Small handful of mint leaves
1 tbsp best quality extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp best quality balsamic vinegar
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 190C/ 375F
2. On a floured surface, using a rolling pin, roll the pastry out to a rectangle approx 18 x 32 cm. Transfer to a baking tray lined with parchment paper and using a table knife, slice a border 1 cm in from the edge cutting about half way through. Brush the border with a little of the beaten egg and prick the centre with a fork all over.
3. Place on top and bake in the oven for about 15 minutes until lightly golden
4. While the pastry is baking, in a bowl, beat together the remaining egg, ricotta, pecorino cheese, thyme leaves and lemon zest. Season to taste.
5. Remove the par baked tart from the oven and using the back of a spoon gently press down the centre and spread the ricotta filling all over evenly before returning to the oven to bake for about 10 minutes or until golden around the edges. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.
6. In a mixing bowl, toss the topping ingredients until well combined
7. Serve the tart with the topping delicately arranged across the tart