Asparagus & Gruyere Tarts

Spring is finally starting to show itself. One sure sign of the season is the abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables. One of my favorite spring veggies is Asparagus. With Easter right around the corner, I thought this Asparagus Tart was perfect for a Spring/Easter dish.

I found this recipe on Closet Cooking, I LOVE Kevin's blog - he always makes the most delicious foods. What first caught my eye about this recipe wasn't the asparagus, it was the Gruyere cheese. Gruyere is by far my most favorite cheese, I would kill for it. Despite how expensive it is, I try to buy a small block any chance I can get. It's definitely not a cheap habit, but to me it's worth every penny.

This recipe also adds a spread of honey dijon mustard, I used honey mustard instead 'cause it was what I had on hand. I was pretty skeptical about the addition of mustard, seemed kind of odd to me, so I made a few tarts without mustard. Boy, was I wrong -I should have known better than to question Kevin's recipe. Shame on me. :/ The mustard tasted fantastic! The tarts without mustard weren't nearly as flavorful as the ones with mustard. Do NOT shy away from the mustard. Trust me :)

Kevin's recipe tops a whole puff pastry sheet with the ingredients, which is then cut into servings. I wanted to make something that was a little more like individual appetizers, so I cut my puff pastry into 9 squares, which fit about three 1-inch pieces of aspargus. The puff pastry bakes up around the perfectly roasted, tender asparagus acting as flaky pillow to it, and gruyere cheese makes it extra creamy. Once I got a taste of one, I could not stop eating them! This would be the perfect side dish to serve with your Easter brunch or dinner.

Enjoy!

-Jess
 
 
Asparagus & Gruyere Tarts - makes 9 individual tarts, about 4 servings*
Recipe from Closet Cooking
Printable Recipe
 
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed according to the packages directions
2 Tbsp. honey dijon mustard
2 cups gruyere, grated
1 pound* asparagus, rinsed and trimmed into 1-inch pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil for drizzling

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Roll the puff pastry just so it is slightly flattened. Cut into 9 squares (two cuts horizontally and vertically = 9). Score a line around each puff pastry square ½ inch from the edge. Brush the mustard around the inside of the cut. Sprinkle the cheese over the mustard. Arrange a few asparagus pieces in a single layer over the cheese, press down gently. Season with salt and pepper. Lightly drizzle olive oil over the asparagus.

Bake in a preheated oven until the asparagus is tender and the pastry is golden brown, about 15-20 minutes.


Helpful Hints
*My directions make 9 tarts, about 4 servings - 2 per person. You can make more by cutting slightly smaller squares, be sure not to go too small. Or, just double the recipe. If you want to make a whole tart, follow the same directions just skipping the step of cutting into squares.

*I know I didn't use a whole pound of asparagus for my mini tarts, but I didn't keep track of the exact amount I did use. If you purchase 1lb, it will be plenty.

*A line is scored ½inch in from the edge to allow the edges to bake up away from the center. No need to poke holes in the center, just top it as it is.