This asparagus ricotta tart is a metaphor for spring in Canada. Nestled on flaky puff pastry, in a bed of pillowy ricotta, bright green spears of asparagus herald the coming of spring to the Northern Hemisphere.
– Puff pastry defrosted overnight in the fridge
– Ricotta cheese
– Lemon juice or a bit more, to taste
– Zest of ½ a lemon
– Asparagus bundle
– Freshly grated pepper
– Dijon mustard
– A few pinches of sea salt
If your puff pastry was in the freezer, let it defrost overnight in the fridge. Drain ricotta cheese in a colander for a few hours, or even overnight in the fridge.
Mix ricotta with lemon juice and grated lemon zest. Add sea salt and pepper, to taste. Taste and adjust flavourings - the filling should be light and just a bit zesty.
Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface into a shape that is a bit bigger than the bottom of the pie shell or glass baking dish that you are going to use.