Asparagus & parmesan puff pastry tart

Asparagus is lovely at this time of year and although we’re coming to the end of the season, there’s still plenty around. This is a very simple and tasty recipe that takes minutes to prep, so it’s a great one to make for friends or for a quick midweek dinner. Lovely on a sunny day!

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

• 375g ready rolled puff pastry

• 300g asparagus, ends trimmed

• 200ml creme fraiche (I used half fat)

• 2 egg yolks

• 40g parmesan

• ½ tsp sea salt

• Zest of ½ lemon

• 1 egg, lightly whisked

method

• Preheat the oven to 200ºc.

• Take the pastry out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before you plan to use it or it’ll crack when you try to flatten it out. Leave it on the greaseproof paper that it came rolled around and place on a large baking tray.

• Mix the crème fraîche, egg yolks, 30g parmesan, salt and lemon zest in a bowl.

• Lightly draw a rectangle around the pastry about 2cm from the edge. Don’t cut through the pastry though.

• Spread the crème fraîche mix evenly inside the inner rectangle and place the asparagus in a row down the middle.

• Sprinkle the asparagus with the rest of the parmesan.

• Brush the outside edge lightly with whisked egg.

• Place in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Serve warm.

Tip

• You could griddle the asparagus for a few minutes on one side before placing on the tart to add a little extra flavour, if you have time.

• Increase the parmesan by 10g in the crème fraîche mix if you like it cheesier and likewise up the zest if you like extra tang.

• Serve with new potatoes and a crunchy raw vegetable salad dressed with a simple vinaigrette.

Plum & almond tart

This is our house favourite for a grown-up birthday cake. We can't resist a frangipane, which is basically what this tart is; lovely shortcrust pasty filled with squishy almond filling and slightly sharp plums. Really delicious at any time of the day. I'm not kidding this tart is great for breakfast with fresh coffee - think of it as a French-style patisserie type of affair. 

Ingredients

Serves 8-10

• 6-7 plums , halved and destoned

• 3 tablespoons vanilla, or plain caster sugar

• 300 g unsalted butter

• 300 g caster sugar

• 3 whole free-range eggs

• 350 g ground almonds

• 1 handful whole pistachio nuts , shelled (optional)

• Shortcrust pastry (see below)

Method

• Line a 28cm/11 inch loose-bottomed flan tin with the pastry and bake it blind (see instructions below).

• Toss the plums in the vanilla sugar, let them macerate for while you make the filling.

• Beat the butter and sugar in a mixer until light and creamy.

• Add the almonds and then the lightly beaten eggs and fold in until completely combined. Stir in the pistachio nuts, then place in the fridge to firm up slightly.

• Once the mixture has chilled, spoon it into your tart case making sure it is about three-quarters full. Don’t overfill otherwise it will spill over the edge in the oven.

• Push the plums into the mixture.

• Bake on a tray at 170°C/350°F/gas 4 for 1 hour, or until the almond mix has become firm and golden on the outside, but is still soft in the middle.

• Allow to cool for about ½ an hour and serve with ice cream, or crème fraîche.

  Sweet shortcrust pastry

I have found that this Jamie Oliver recipe that works best for me. Others have ended in various versions of grey lumps. I use a food processor to start the pastry off as it saves time and is much easier, but probably not purist. If you don't have one, grate the butter into the flour and use cold hands!

Ingredients

• 125g unsalted butter, 2cm cubes

• 250 g organic plain flour , plus extra for dusting

• 50 g icing sugar , sifted

• 1 large free-range eggs, beaten

• ½ - 1tbsp milk

Method

• Put the butter, flour and icing sugar into the food processor.

• Using the cutting blade, turn the food processor on in 2 second bursts to chop up the butter until you have a crumb-like texture.

• Continue until all the butter is combined with the flour, a few small lumps is fine though.

• Slowly add the eggs to the blender and again set the mixer going in very short bursts until you see the mixture coming together.

• Once you have added all the egg the pastry should be beginning to form.

• Carefully scrape the mixture out and onto a clean worktop and gently bring together with your (cold) hands, you may need to add a little milk at this stage.

• As soon as the pastry is just about sticking together, but still looks quite flaky and not blended that well, shape into a large donut, wrap in clingfilm and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

• Take the pastry out once it has had time to rest and leave on the side to warm up to room temperature, so it is easier to roll out.

• Roll out fairly thin for your tart base. As the pastry has not been kneaded and worked too much you will notice small pieces of butter in it and it will have a fairly uneven colour and texture overall. This is fine; you will end up with a lovely flaky pastry that will be really light.

• Use the rolling pin to lift the pasty into the tart case and place in the freezer for 15 minutes so there is less shrinkage when baked.

• Remove the tart from the freezer and place baking parchment right over the pastry (including the edges) and fill the case with baking beads. Bake on 200°c for 20 minutes, remove the paper and beads before putting back in the oven for about 10 minutes on 170°c, or until the pastry begins to colour slightly.

Tip

Instructions for using a 23cm tart case:

• 3-4 plums , halved and de-stoned

• 1-2 tablespoons vanilla sugar, or plain caster

• 200 g unsalted butter

• 200 g caster sugar

• 2 large free-range eggs

• 200g ground almonds

• 1 small handful whole pistachio nuts , shelled (optional)

  Shortcrust pastry:

• 100g unsalted butter, 2cm cubes

• 200 g organic plain flour , plus extra for dusting

• 40 g icing sugar , sifted

• 1 large free-range eggs, beaten

  Bake pastry blind as above and reduce tart cooking time to 170°C/350°F/gas 4 50 minutes.