Spring Asparagus Tart For Mother’s Day Brunch

asparagus tart

This simple elegant tart is perfect for a special occasion brunch such as Mother’s Day which happens to be right around the corner. Start the day spoiling mom or those that are mother-figures in your life with this springtime tart and mimosa in hand!

ingredients for tart

The ingredients in this tart is what makes it so special, fresh spring asparagus, eggs, Parmigiano Reggiano and two types of cheese, Boursin which is a soft cheese filled with garlic and herbs, it really gives the tart a unique and delicious flavor. The other is a hard cheese which is a mix of cheddar and parmesan, although you can change it up with a gruyere or grated mozzarella if you can’t find it.

tart pan with phyllo dough

Another feature of this tart is the use of phyllo pastry for the crust, in my opinion it really makes it. The phyllo pastry serves as a crunchy base for the creamy filling, but you can also use puff pastry or a pie dough if you wish.

If you ever were afraid to use phyllo, don’t be, it’s so forgiving! The key thing to remember is once you open up the package and lay the sheets out be sure to cover them with a damp cloth because they can dry out fast. If the sheets rip while you’re layering them no worries, just cover with another one, you won’t even see any flaws in the finished product.

asparagus tart

Phyllo gives the tart a rustic yet elegant look, here’s another springtime tart I made using phyllo with ricotta as the base.

savory asparagus tart

So golden brown and crispy!

slices of tart

A nice slice of this delicious tart alongside a fresh salad is the way to go.

arugula salad

I like to serve this arugula, avocado and cucumber salad with shaved parmigiano and a fresh lemon and olive oil dressing, it’s the perfect accompaniment.

plated asparagus tart

Serve warm or at room temperature, either way you’re in for a treat!

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Spring Asparagus Tart For Mother's Day Brunch
 
A simple, elegant tart perfect for a special occasion
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Ingredients
  • Tart pan with removable bottom, I used a 12x8 pan
  • 1 lb. or bunch of fresh asparagus, preferably not thick ones, cleaned and trimmed
  • 6 sheets of phyllo pastry or your desired thickness, be sure to cover the sheets with a damp cloth while in use
  • 1 stick of melted butter, unsalted
  • 6 eggs
  • 1 package of Boursin cheese, garlic and fine herbs, 5.2 oz
  • 1 very heaping cup of shredded cheese such as the cheddar parmesan mix I had or gruyere or mozzarella ( not fresh)
  • 2 heaping tablespoons of grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese plus extra for sprinkling between. sheets
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • zest of half a lemon
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
  • salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Heat oven to 375F.
  2. Place the asparagus single layer on a sheet pan and into the oven for 5 minutes just to soften slightly.
  3. Smash the room temperature Boursin cheese in a medium bowl to get most of the lumps out.
  4. Add the six eggs into the bowl and whisk together along with the heavy cream, zest, Parmigiano, thyme, and then fold in the shredded cheese, set aside.
  5. Put the tart pan on a rimmed sheet pan for easy in and out of the oven.
  6. Butter the tart pan sides and bottom with the melted butter.
  7. Then 1 x 1 layer a sheet of phyllo, overlapping sides then brush all over quickly with melted butter.
  8. On each sheet you can sprinkle a little Parmigiano and some black pepper.
  9. Repeat on each layer brushing the butter on top and sides adding a little Parmigiano and black pepper or you can do every other layer if you wish.
  10. When you reach the top fold in the sides to make a nice crust all the way around, don't worry if it doesn't look perfect, remember phyllo is forgiving.
  11. Butter the top crust all around the edge.
  12. Pour in all the creamy filling over the pastry crust.
  13. Arrange the asparagus stalks in a nice pattern on top of the cheese mixture.
  14. Bake at 375F 35- 40 minutes and it reaches a nice deep golden color.
  15. Cool it down before removing the sides of the pan then slide it onto a platter without the bottom which should slide off easily.
  16. Serve warm or at room temperature.

 

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Puff Pancake with Fresh Blackberries, Mascarpone and Ricotta Cream

puff pancake with blackberry, mascarpone and ricotta cream Puff pancakes are super easy to make and very impressive. It’s something you’ll want to serve for a leisurely weekend breakfast or for a very special occasion holiday brunch like Easter or Mother’s Day that will soon be upon us.

filling for puff pancakeSpring is just around the corner and berries are popping up in all the grocery stores, which is why I couldn’t resist taking home these beauties I found last week. I immediately knew I would showcase them in all their fresh glory as a topping to my puff pancake!

puff pancakeThe batter comes together quickly, it gets poured into a hot buttered pan then placed into a preheated oven for 25 minutes, it puffs up really high then deflates. Even if you get a few cracks like I did it’s no big deal!

puff pancake with blackberry, mascarpone and ricotta creamThose cracks will soon be smothered with a luscious mascarpone and ricotta cream, the perfect base to plop and nestle in your berries.

puff pancake with blackberry, mascarpone and ricotta creamMake sure to have a pot of rich, bold coffee brewing, warm up some maple syrup and generously dust that berry pancake with powdered sugar!

puff pancake with blackberry, mascarpone and ricotta cream

puff pancake with blackberry, mascarpone and ricotta creamSit down and enjoy, breakfast is served!

Puff Pancake with Fresh Blackberries, Mascarpone and Ricotta Cream
 
Ingredients
  • For The Batter
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 cup milk, ( unsweetened almond milk works as well)
  • 4 eggs, beaten
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • pinch of salt
  • For The Filling
  • Fresh blackberries
  • 1½ cups of ricotta, drained
  • 5 oz. mascarpone cheese, room temp
  • zest of 1 orange
  • powdered sugar to sweeten
  • powdered sugar for dusting
  • 1 tablespoon butter
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat oven to 450 F.
  2. Have a 12" oven proof skillet ready.
  3. Mix all of the batter ingredients together using a hand mixer so no lumps appear. Flour, milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt.
  4. Place the tablespoon of butter in the skillet and put it into the 450 degree oven until it melts.
  5. Take pan out and pour in batter and swirl around.
  6. Place pan bake in oven and set timer for 20 - 25 minutes, batter will puff up high, you might need to prick it to release some steam.
  7. Remove pan when sides are deep golden.
  8. Meanwhile mix up your filling.
  9. In a bowl add in the ricotta, mascarpone and orange zest, then add some powdered sugar to desired sweetness.
  10. Whip until blended.
  11. When pancake is done and cooled down a bit spread mascarpone ricotta mixture all over then dot with blackberries.
  12. Generously dust with powdered sugar and serve with a drizzle of warmed maple syrup.

 

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