Asparagus Tart
1/2 cup soft goat cheese, at room temperature (2 ounces by weight)
1 large egg, lightly beaten, at room temperature
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, plus more for serving
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup crème fraîche or sour cream, at room temperature (4 ounces by volume)
All-purpose flour, for dusting
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
8 ounces asparagus, ends trimmed, if thick cut in half lengthwise
Extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
Freshly ground black pepper
Coarse sea salt
Red-pepper flakes
1 ounce Parmesan, shaved (about 1/2 cup)
DIRECTIONS
Heat oven to 425 degrees. In a medium bowl, cream together the goat cheese, egg, garlic, dill, lemon zest, and salt until smooth. Beat in the crème fraîche/sour cream until smooth.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out puff pastry into a 13-by-11-inch rectangle about 1/8-inch thick. Transfer the dough to a parchment-lined cookie sheet. With a sharp knife, lightly score a 1/2-inch border around the edges of the puff pastry.
Spread the crème fraîche/sour cream mixture evenly inside the scored border. Line up the asparagus spears on top, and brush them with olive oil. Sprinkle the grated Parmesan over the asparagus.
Bake until the pastry is puffed and golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Let it cool on the cookie sheet for at least 15 minutes.
Using kitchen scissors, snip the long pieces of asparagus into bite-size pieces. This will not affect how the finished tart looks but will greatly increase the ease of eating.
Then finish by sprinkling black pepper, coarse sea salt, red pepper flakes, the shaved Parmesan, and reserved dill. Drizzle a little oil on top.
