Mini Asparagus Tarts with Tomato Pesto

It's been a few days since the last asparagus post, so it's time to remind you about them. Enjoy them while you can, because the season doesn't last long. Just a little over a month more and we'll have to wait a whole year again for these tasty and healthy vegetables. While you're at it, I also invite you to try my other asparagus recipes and to check out the asparagus ABC.

Speaking of seasons, I'd like to remind you that it's also rhubarb season, as well as the season for botwina (young beet greens; and here's the chłodnik, a chilled soup made from botwina) and Swiss chard. For all the lovers of greens, I also invite you to use homegrown herbs and greens from the garden.

Asparagus tarts with tomato pesto

I already made an asparagus tart last year. Today I'm suggesting a slightly different version. I really recommend it, because it's a very easy way to put together a tasty lunch or dinner, or a snack. The tomato pesto complements this little dish perfectly. I served it with vegetable couscous, and the recipe for that is coming soon.

Oh, and one more thing. My personal cheese supplier delivered hard goat cheese to me. This dish, however, calls for a creamy cheese that melts beautifully over the asparagus, which unfortunately didn't happen for me.

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F).

Unroll the puff pastry flat, cut it into 4 larger or 8 smaller rectangles, and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Wash the asparagus, cut off the woody ends, and peel lightly if needed. Blanch it for about 4 minutes in salted water, or even better, steam it, then remove and pat dry.

Brush each piece of puff pastry with 1 tbsp of cream and season with salt and pepper, then lay the asparagus spears lengthwise on top. Crumble the goat cheese and sprinkle it over the asparagus, and finally sprinkle the mini tarts with thyme leaves. Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until the cheese melts and the pastry turns golden.

While the tarts are baking, make the tomato pesto. Wash the fresh tomatoes and place them in a tall container together with the sun-dried tomatoes and pine nuts, then blend with an immersion blender, slowly adding the olive oil. You should end up with something like a paste. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

When the tarts are done, serve them with the pesto.

Enjoy!

Source: Lust auf Genuss 5/2011