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Make these asparagus and ricotta salata tartlets, then check out our beetroot, feta and thyme tart, asparagus and tomato tart and more savoury tart recipes.

Gurdeep Loyal is a food and drink trends specialist who built his career working at Harrods Food Halls, Innocent Drinks and M&S Food. He’s also a food writer and curator of online platform Mother Tongue. His first recipe book of the same name is out now. @gurd_loyal

What is ricotta salata?

Ricotta salata is made from fresh sheep's milk ricotta that has been pressed, salted and aged for at least three months – 'salata' literally translates to 'salted'. It has a mildly briny, savoury, nutty taste and a firm, crumbly texture. A chef favourite, it's used at restaurants from Legare and Norma in London, to Lilia in New York. It's great for grating over pasta, bringing a savoury touch to salad or adding a salty flourish to pizzas and summery tarts, including in this recipe. It is available in Whole Foods, Waitrose & Partners or Lina Stores.

Ingredients

  • 320g sheet of ready rolled puff pastry
  • 1 tsp olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
  • 175g asparagus
  • 100g crème fraîche
  • 60g basil pesto
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice, plus 1 tsp zest
  • 40g ricotta salata
  • ⅛ tsp chilli flakes
  • green salad, to serve

Method

  • STEP 1

    Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Cut the pastry into six equal squares, then arrange over two baking sheets lined with baking paper. Score a 1cm border around the edges of each pastry square, being careful not to cut all the way through. Bake for 13-15 mins or until lightly golden.

  • STEP 2

    Meanwhile, snap off the woody ends from the asparagus spears, then cut the spears into smaller lengths – they should fit neatly in the middle of the tartlets. Drizzle the spears with 1 tsp of the oil. Heat a griddle or frying pan over a high heat and cook the spears for 4-5 mins or until just charred. Transfer to a bowl and lightly season.

  • STEP 3

    Combine the crème fraîche, pesto, lemon juice and zest. Remove the pastry squares from the oven and gently press down the middles. Spread a dollop of the pesto mixture over the middle of each, then arrange the cooked asparagus lengths on top.

  • STEP 4

    Bake for 6-8 mins until the pastry is deeply golden. Remove from the oven. Shave over large flakes of ricotta salata using a veg peeler. Top with olive oil and the chilli flakes, then serve with a green salad.

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