Puff pastry meets a creamy, garlicky béchamel sauce, which then adds asparagus to the party, and all comes together with the perfect accompaniment of Parmesan cheese. This recipe belongs on a dinner table no matter the season, no matter the occasion. It can be perfect for an appetizer, or a delicious pairing with a salad.

At a glance the recipe may seem long and intimidating, but I walk you through the three main components: the puff pastry, the béchamel sauce, and the asparagus.

You can blanch the asparagus and make the sauce the day before to make this more of an ease – or even add cherry tomatoes, caramelized onions, or sauteed mushrooms. I hope you enjoy whichever occasion you choose.

Pecorino Romano & Parmesan Asparagus Tart

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Servings

servings

Ingredients

1 bundle asparagus
2 sheets puff pastry, thawed*
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 shallot, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1 cup grated Pecorino Romano & Parmesan cheese, divided*
Black pepper & garlic sea salt as needed
Optional: Red pepper flakes (see notes)
Needed: ice-bath, 8-qt pot, saute pan, strainer, baking sheet, parchment paper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Add water and ice to a large bowl and have on standby. This is the ice bath for the asparagus.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and while you wait for that to be ready, prepare the asparagus. Snap the tough ends off the asparagus and discard.
Add the asparagus to the boiling water and cook until al dente and bright green, about 2-3 minutes. Immediately transfer to the ice-water to shock it and halt its cooking process. Remove from the ice bath and set aside until needed.
Lay the puff pastry sheets on a baking sheet that's been covered with parchment paper. Fold over the edges of the dough to make a 1/2" crease and seal with the spikes of a fork. Using the fork, poke holes 6-7 times on the bottom of the puff pastry. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the dough starts to brown and becomes flaky. IF it puffs up too much, use the back of a wooden spoon to carefully deflate. Mine always does this. Remove from the oven and set aside until needed.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a small saute pan over medium heat. Add the shallot and saute until the onion is soft, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Remove the shallot and garlic from the pan and set aside.
In the same pan, keep the heat to medium, and melt the butter. Add the flour and mix with a wooden spoon until incorporated. This is your roux. Cook 2 minutes until you no longer smell flour and only smell butter.
Slowly whisk in the milk. Keep whisking to avoid any lumps. Bring the heat to medium-high and stir continuously until the milk thickens. When ready, the bechamel will coat the back of a spoon without running. This will take 4-5 minutes. Watch closely as this can easily burn.
Remove the sauce from the heat and strain into a bowl. Discard any lumps left behind. Add 3/4 cups of the cheese, the shallots, and the garlic. Mix until the cheese is melted. Add black pepper and salt in big sprinkles at a time. Taste and adjust between each sprinkle. I added about 1/2 teaspoons of pepper.
Evenly spread a ladle full of cheese sauce into the tart as if it were a pizza. Arrange asparagus slices onto the tart, then sprinkle with the remaining olive oil (1 tablespoon) and cheese. Bake for 12 minutes until the asparagus is roasted, the cheese is melted, and the pastry is golden brown.

Notes

One box of puff pastry usually comes with 2 sheets. Can be found in the frozen section. Make sure you buy sheets and NOT shells!
You can also use an Italian blend of cheese found in your bagged cheese aisle.
Add red pepper flakes for a little heat, or even finish with a drizzle of hot honey.
You can make the sauce and blanch the asparagus the night before for ease.