These delicious vegetarian cheese and asparagus puff pastry tarts come together quickly and make a perfect starter or canapé. Bake the puff pastry shells until golden, spoon in a creamy cheese filling, top with blanched asparagus and finish in the oven until the cheese melts. Serve warm for best flavour.
The blog has been quiet recently — life got busy with a week away in Cornwall followed by a heavy freelance workload. Last week passed in a blur and I neglected recipe development and even cooking for the family. Returning to a slower pace, I found the fresh spring produce at the local shop inspired me to cook again: I came home with asparagus, purple sprouting broccoli and lots of herbs.
I was tempted to make risotto, which is quick in the Instant Pot, but instead I made my reliable puff pastry tarts. These are my go-to when I want a simple seasonal dish: pre-rolled puff pastry, a soft cheese filling and whatever vegetables are in season. They’re easy to assemble and perfect for a quick lunch, light dinner or elegant starter.
For this version I chose asparagus because its bright green stalks contrast beautifully with the creamy cheese and flaky pastry. I went for an Italian-inspired filling: mascarpone combined with two kinds of mozzarella, plus a little olive oil, honey, lemon zest and chopped mint. That said, this is a flexible recipe — use ricotta, cream cheese, blue cheese or any soft cheese you prefer. The notes include an alternative topping idea.
To prepare the tarts, unroll the pre-rolled puff pastry and cut it into quarters. Use a sharp knife to score a narrow border around each square, then prick the inner section with a fork. Blind-baking the shells briefly helps them keep their shape: bake for 8–10 minutes until puffed and golden. When you remove them, press the centers gently to flatten the middle and create a well for the filling.
While the pastry bakes, blanch the asparagus for 2–3 minutes until just tender-crisp, then plunge it into iced water to preserve its bright colour. Drain and pat dry. Mix the cheese filling while the asparagus cools.
Fill each tart shell with the cheese mixture, arrange asparagus spears on top, and sprinkle with grated Parmesan. Return to the oven for about 8 minutes or until the cheese is melted and slightly bubbling. Finish with a scattering of chopped walnuts and a light drizzle of olive oil or honey, then serve immediately while warm.
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Cheese and asparagus puff pastry tarts
By Lucy Parissi | Supergolden Bakes
These cheese and asparagus puff pastry tarts are ready in minutes. Bake the puff pastry shells, fill with a creamy cheese mixture, top with blanched asparagus and finish in the oven. Serve as an appetiser or light starter.
Details
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 16 minutes
- Total Time: 26 minutes
- Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 pack pre-rolled puff pastry
- 30 stalks asparagus (about 1 large bunch)
- 300 g mascarpone cheese
- 100 g mozzarella pearls, roughly torn
- 100 g grated mozzarella
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp honey
- ½ tsp onion granules (or finely grated onion)
- 5 mint leaves, finely chopped
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tbsp grated Parmesan, to sprinkle
- Salt and pepper, to season
- Handful chopped walnuts, to finish
- A little extra olive oil to drizzle
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Line a large baking tray with greaseproof paper.
- Unroll the puff pastry and cut it into four equal squares. Place the squares on the prepared tray, spaced slightly apart.
- Score a narrow border around the edge of each pastry square using a sharp knife. Prick the interior of each square with a fork to prevent excessive puffing.
- Bake the pastry for 8–10 minutes, until puffed and golden.
- While the pastry is baking, bring a pan of salted water to the boil. Cook the asparagus for 2–3 minutes until al dente, then transfer immediately to a bowl of iced water to stop the cooking and keep the colour bright. Drain and pat dry.
- In a bowl, combine the mascarpone with the torn and grated mozzarella. Stir in the olive oil, honey, onion granules, chopped mint and lemon zest. Mix with a fork until well combined; a brief 10-second zap in the microwave can make mixing easier if the cheese is very cold.
- When the pastry shells are cool enough to handle, press the centres gently to flatten and create wells for the filling. Spoon the cheese mixture into each shell.
- Arrange asparagus spears across the filled tarts, sprinkle with grated Parmesan, and season with salt and pepper.
- Return the tarts to the oven for about 8 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
- Finish with a scattering of chopped walnuts and a small drizzle of olive oil or honey. Serve immediately while warm.
Notes
If you prefer, substitute broccoli spears (broccoli rabe) for the asparagus, or use a mix of both vegetables for variety.
Nutrition (per serving, approximate)
Calories: 872 kcal | Carbohydrates: 34 g | Protein: 20 g | Fat: 72 g | Saturated Fat: 32 g | Cholesterol: 105 mg | Sodium: 407 mg | Fiber: 1 g | Sugar: 5 g | Calcium: 357 mg
Nutritional information is approximate and will vary with ingredients and portion sizes.