Asparagus and Tomato Puff Pastry Tart
Alpine
Roasting the cherry tomatoes for the tapenade gives it a lighter texture to complement the fresh asparagus .
TOMATO TAPENADE 200g cherry tomatoes 2 tbsp olive oil Salt and pepper 70g pitted black olives 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves 1 garlic clove 10 fresh basil leaves
TART 320g ready rolled puff pastry 320g fresh asparagus , ends trimmed 150g tomato tapenade 180g mixed baby tomatoes , sliced in half A handful of fresh basil leaves , plus extra for garnish Olive oil 75g goat cheese
Prepare the tomato tapenade : Preheat the oven to 200 C / 180 C fan / gas mark 6 . Spread the cherry tomatoes on a baking tray , then sprinkle with olive oil . Season with a little salt and pepper . Bake for 25 minutes until the tomatoes are soft and a little of their juices remains . Transfer the roasted tomatoes to a food processor ; add remaining tapenade ingredients . Lightly blitz on a pulse setting , to keep some texture to the tapenade . Set aside for use in tart .
Prepare the tart : Heat the oven to 190 C / 170 C fan / gas mark 5 . Line a baking sheet with baking paper ; unroll the pastry onto the sheet . With a knife , score a 2cm border all the way around the pastry , taking care not to cut through it . Prick across the base of the pastry with a fork . Bake for 10 minutes . Whilst the pastry is baking , bring a pan of salted water to the boil ; add asparagus and cook for 2 minutes . Drain in a colander , then rinse under cold water . Leave to drain . Remove the pastry from the oven ; it should be pale golden in colour . Spread the tapenade over the pastry base , inside the border , then top with the asparagus and the baby tomatoes . Add a few basil leaves and a drizzle of olive oil , then bake for 25 minutes . Remove tart from the oven ; cool for 10 minutes . While still warm , dot the goat cheese over the tart and add a few more fresh basil leaves . Makes 4 servings .