Spring Vegetable Tart

We’ve created a vibrant vegetable tart packed full of spring goodness, including radishes, asparagus and garden peas. With a generous helping of ricotta cheese to coat the base of the tart, you are met with a deliciously creamy flavour as you take your first bite.

This recipe is special as it represents the changing of seasons from the dark, cold Winter months to the bright, colourful Spring. It truly does encapsulate the springtime cooking with all it’s good, green and glory! Not to forget how quick and easy this dish is to prepare and enjoy amongst friend’s and family across a (hopefully) sunny weekend.

1. Preheat the oven to 180C.
2. Gently roll the puff pastry sheet onto a baking paper lined with paper. Use a sharp knife to carefully score a 1cm boarder all the way around the edges of the pastry, cutting most of the way through but not all the way. The brush the edges with the beaten egg and place into the preheated oven for 10 minutes until golden brown and puffed up.
3. Remove the pastry from the oven and gently press down the puffed-up pastry in the centre so you are left with just the boarder raised. Set aside to cool slightly.
4. In a bowl mix together the ricotta, lemon zest, chopped dill and parsley. Then season well with Maldon Salt and cracked black pepper. Set aside.
5. Put a pan of water on to boil. Once simmering, add the asparagus spears, broad beans, and peas. Blanch them for 2 minutes until just cooked and then remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and immediately place into a bowl of iced water – this will help the vegetables retain their green colour and some of the crunch. Once cold again, drain and set aside.
6. Add the julienned spring onion strips into another small bowl with iced water and submerge. This cold water will encourage the spring onion to coil up and create pretty curls.
7. To assemble the tart, spoon the ricotta mix onto the base of the pastry and spread evenly to the edges of the middle, leaving the boarders. Next arrange the asparagus spears, broad beans, and peas across the top. Finally top with the radishes, spring onion curls and pea shoots.
8. Drizzle over a little good quality olive oil and a final sprinkle of Maldon Salt and some cracked black pepper.