Delicate asparagus filling with spring onions, tofu, and a handful of fresh basil laid on a soft puff pastry make this asparagus tart a delicious and elegant dish perfect for a brunch or light dinner.

Asparagus season is in full swing, and we have been buying them every week. With the whole lockdown situation we had in the past three months, seasonal food and spring produce were my escape from reality. Being able to order from local farmers or finding beautiful, fresh produce in the stores has been my salvation somehow. There is a whole process behind preparing food - from going to the green market, choosing your products, knowing how they are cultivated, combining the textures and tastes to prepare the meal. Buying ingredients and cooking them for my family and friends is something that I enjoy and relaxes me.

I believe that the current world situation brought more responsibility and appreciation for fresh food and made us have a deeper connection with what we cook and prepare for our families. It's something that brings us closer wherever we might be.

Fresh green asparagus is one of my favorite spring veggies as they are so delicious and easy to prepare. They are amazing and so versatile - you can use them as an appetizer, in salads, risotto, or as a side dish with other roasted veggies.

Today I am sharing my new recipe for an easy, delicious appetizer - Vegan Puff Pastry Asparagus Tart with creamy asparagus, tofu, fresh onion, and basil filling. Tarts are one of the easiest delicious things you can prepare and bring so much joy to your brunch table or summer dinners. For this Asparagus Tart, we are using store-bought vegan puff pastry, so the whole process of preparing this meal will take less than 15 minutes. Of course, if you prefer making your puff pastry, you can do that as well.

Asparagus are firstly sightly blanched, then added to the tart both as the decoration on top and in the creamy tofu filling. If you don't like tofu or are not vegan, you could substitute it for the same soft or cream cheese. With the summer approaching, my house is filled with different herbs, especially fresh basil. Italians use it a lot in their kitchen, and I must say I love the unique taste it gives to many meals, both raw and cooked. This is why I decided to use it as it goes well with asparagus, and together with spring onions, it gives that refreshing tone to the overall quiche. To give the filling a boost of color, I added fresh baby spinach. If you don't have it, don't worry as it will not affect the taste, just the tart may have a less bright green color.

This recipe is a perfect last-minute meal that you can prepare for your dinners with friends, for weekend brunch, or even a picnic. With store-bought puff pastry, all you need to do is cook asparagus slightly, put all ingredients in a blender, and blend for 2-3 minutes until smooth. After 35-40 minutes of baking, you will have the most delicious spring tart you can serve. Asparagus season is not that long, so I invite you to try this recipe out and let me know what you think!
If you have some more asparagus on your hands, try this Strawberry Feta Asparagus Salad as well. Both recipes are perfect spring dishes to enjoy every day!

Simple Asparagus Tart with Puff Pastry (Vegan)
Marija Gvozdenovic

INGREDIENTS

Serves 6

1 round vegan puff pastry

250g natural tofu

200g fresh asparagus

3 tbsp olive oil

Salt to taste

Ground black pepper to taste

6-7 fresh basil leaves

A handful of baby spinach

Pinch of nutmeg

The green part of one smaller green onion

1 small garlic

1 tbsp lemon juice

METHOD

Preheat your oven at 180 degrees Celsius (350 F). Wash the asparagus and cut the end parts (about 2cm). In a large pan place water just enough to cover your asparagus and add a teaspoon of salt. Once the water is boiling, place the asparagus and let them cook for 5 minutes. They don’t have to be soft as they will finish cooking in the oven.

In a blender add tofu, half of the asparagus that you additionally chopped in 2, olive oil, lemon juice, chopped green onion, garlic, basil leaves, and baby spinach. Add salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg and blend everything until you get a smooth mixture.

Place the puff pastry in a round pie pan and fill in with asparagus-tofu mixture and decorate with the rest of your asparagus. Bake for about 35 to 40 minutes or until golden. Serve warm.