Asparagus season is right around the corner! If you are looking for an easy asparagus recipe that is guaranteed to impress, you will love this Asparagus Puff Pastry! Using a store-bought puff pastry sheet makes this recipe so fast and easy.
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what is puff pastry?
Puff Pastry is a laminated dough, similar to a croissant. The dough makes a light and flaky pastry. It can be used for both sweet or savory recipes, like my Strawberry Cheesecake Tart or my Blackberry Cheesecake Tart!
I have personally never made a puff pastry from scratch because it is so labor intensive and honestly I'm just not in that season of life right now. A pre-made, store bought dough is my secret easy button for making this recipe so fast! Puff pastry dough will be in the frozen foods section of the grocery store, often near the frozen pie crusts.
When is Asparagus in season?
In the midwest, Asparagus season begins when the warmer temperatures of spring return. Here in Central Kansas, the very earliest our asparagus has ever popped up is late April, but more often mid May. Warmer climates begin much sooner! Expect to see fresh asparagus in the grocery store beginning in March.
Choose asparagus stalks that are tender and flexible. Typically the skinnier asparagus stalks will have the best texture, but this isn't a hard rule. I have definitely found thicker asparagus that had a perfect bite.
Ingredients
This recipe comes together fast because of the store bought puff pastry crust. If you desire to make your pastry crust from scratch, it will take longer!
- fresh asparagus
- ricotta cheese
- parmesan cheese OR sharp white cheddar cheese
- bacon
- puff pastry crust
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
How to prepare a puff pastry crust
- Preheat the oven to 425° Fahrenheit. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with a silpat mat or parchment paper. Gently unfold the thawed puff pastry onto an area lightly dusted with flour. Carefully unroll the pastry dough to a 10 x 11 inch rectangle. Transfer the puff pastry to the lined baking sheet. See tip below for thawing puff pastry dough.
- Brush the pastry edges with a bit of water. Fold each of the four edges over to create a lip. Use a fork to poke holes all over the middle of the tart. Gently brush the entire tart with an egg wash. Place dollops of ricotta cheese and the asparagus on the pastry.
- Bake until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes. The center of the pastry will likely have puffed up. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to gently press the puffed area back down. Transfer to a wire rack to fully cool. Serve immediately.
Hint: If your puff pastry happens to balloon up in the oven, gently press it back down with a spatula. I also recommend keeping an eye on it during the last two minutes of cooking. In an oven that has hot spots, you might experience over browning or burning in some areas. Keep an eye on it!
HOW TO THAW PUFF PASTRY SHEETS
Remove the pastry from the freezer and let it sit at room temperature for up to thirty minutes. The pastry sheet is thawed enough when it still feels cold, but can be unfolded without tearing.
The pastry can also be thawed by using the microwave. To use this method, remove the frozen pastry dough from the box and outer wrapping. Cover it with a paper towel and microwave it for 15 seconds on high. Turn the pastry over and microwave for another 15 seconds.
TIP: Keep the pastry chilled! It should never reach room temperature. Once it is ready to be unfolded and rolled out, work fast to get it in the oven quickly.
HELPFUL TIPS FOR USING PUFF PASTRY SHEETS
- Unfold the pastry onto a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper or a silpat mat.
- If the pastry cracks when unfolding, sprinkle the crack with water and press the edges back together to seal.
- If thawed pastry sheets become warm or sticky after thawing, place them back in the freezer for five minutes to firm them back up. Once the pastry is chilled, continue with the steps of making the puff pastry dessert recipe.
- Puff pastries truly do puff like a hot air balloon in the oven. I accidentally let my first one swell into the oven rack above it… learn from my mistakes! Give them plenty of room to expand during baking.
- To go along with #4, the puff pastry can be fixed if it swells too high during baking. Use a large, flat spatula or wooden spoon to gently press the pastry back down as soon as it comes out of the oven. I had to do this with both of the tarts I made today.
MUST-HAVE BAKING TOOLS FOR A PERFECT ASPARAGUS PUFF PASTRY
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I also would not attempt this recipe if I didn’t have a silpat mat or parchment paper. Puff pastry dough is very delicate and prone to tearing. I can’t imagine lifting it onto a baking sheet without a liner under it.
Honestly, that’s pretty much it. Most puff pastry recipes will say you need a tamper to press the puff pastry back down after it has baked (it tries to turn into a balloon, EVERY.DARN.TIME). Would it be handy? Yeah, okay. But using a hamburger-flipper style metal spatula works great, too.
Substitutions
This recipe is very versatile and can be customized in so many ways! Whether it is to make it compliant for dietary restrictions or taste preferences, here are a few quick ideas I came up with.
- cheese- I love making this with parmesan, ricotta, gruyere, and fontina, but for a creamier cheesiness you could make it with a soft cheese like American or Velveeta. Cut or crumble the cheese into small pieces for even distribution and melting.
- puff pastry -So you love the idea of making an asparagus puff pastry, but you don't have a puff pastry crust in the freezer. Now what? I would recommend making this with a popping fresh can of refrigerated crescent roll dough. It will change the texture and looks of the puff pastry, but still will taste very good!
- bacon - skip the bacon to keep this a vegetarian puff pastry appetizer.
For a completely different take on puff pastry recipes, check out my Strawberry Cheesecake Tart or my Blackberry Cheesecake Tart! They are both fresh and sweet with fresh fruit and a lemon curd cheesecake spread.
Storage
Puff pastries are best eaten fresh, but can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days. If you are planning to make this ahead of time, I would put the fully baked pastry in the refrigerator and then warm it in the oven before serving.
I would not recommend freezing the leftovers.
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment below! This provides helpful feedback to both me and other readers. For more delicious recipes from scratch and homesteading tips, follow me on instagram @NinnescahHomestead
Recipe
Asparagus Puff Pastry
Equipment
- baking sheet
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 bundle asparagus fresh
- 8 ounces ricotta cheese
- 4 ounces parmesan cheese freshly grated
- 6 slices bacon cooked
- 1 sheet puff pastry dough
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425° Fahrenheit. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with a silpat mat or parchment paper. Gently unfold the thawed puff pastry onto an area lightly dusted with flour. Carefully roll the pastry dough to a 10 x 11 inch rectangle.
- Transfer the puff pastry to the lined baking sheet. See tip below for thawing puff pastry dough.Brush the pastry edges with a bit of water. Fold each of the four edges over to create a lip.
- Use a fork to poke holes all over the middle of the tart. Gently brush the entire tart with an egg wash. Add the asparagus, dollops of ricotta cheese and season with salt and pepper.
- Bake until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes. The center of the pastry will likely have puffed up. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to gently press the puffed area back down. Transfer to a wire rack.
- Garnish with cooked bacon crumbles, fresh grated parmesan cheese and extra salt and pepper. Serve warm.
Notes
HELPFUL TIPS FOR USING PUFF PASTRY SHEETS
-
- Unfold the pastry onto a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper or a silpat mat.
- If the pastry cracks when unfolding, sprinkle the crack with water and press the edges back together to seal.
-
- If thawed pastry sheets become warm or sticky after thawing, place them back in the freezer for five minutes to firm them back up. Once the pastry is chilled, continue with the steps of making the puff pastry dessert recipe.
-
- Puff pastries truly do puff like a hot air balloon in the oven. I accidentally let my first one swell into the oven rack above it… learn from my mistakes! Give them plenty of room to expand during baking.
-
- To go along with #4, the puff pastry can be fixed if it swells too high during baking. Use a large, flat spatula or wooden spoon to gently press the pastry back down as soon as it comes out of the oven. I had to do this with both of the tarts I made today.
Substitutions
This recipe is very versatile and can be customized in so many ways! Whether it is to make it compliant for dietary restrictions or taste preferences, here are a few quick ideas I came up with.-
- cheese- I love making this with parmesan, sharp cheddar, ricotta, gruyere, and fontina, but for a creamier cheesiness you could make it with a soft cheese like American or Velveeta. Cut or crumble the cheese into small pieces for even distribution and melting.
-
- puff pastry -So you love the idea of making an asparagus puff pastry, but you don't have a puff pastry crust in the freezer. Now what? I would recommend making this with a popping fresh can of refrigerated crescent roll dough. It will change the texture and looks of the puff pastry, but still will taste very good!
-
- bacon - skip the bacon to keep this a vegetarian puff pastry appetizer.
Nutrition
I hope you enjoy this recipe! I took it to our family's Easter celebration last year and it was a hit, especially as an appetizer while we were waiting on the ham to finish cooking. This would be perfect for a simple spring brunch or even as an appetizer during cocktail hour. If you make this recipe, please leave a review and let me know what you think!
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