Asparagus Pesto Tart

This tart is easy and tasty and I’m excited to share the recipe below, but first I’m going to recap some interesting going-ons that have been happening here in New York!

Last weekend was pretty eventful—I attended the Hudson Valley Wine & Food Fest, and I also had a real-time, in-person viewing of one of the most controversial happenings in sports, ever: The US Open Women’s Final.  

But first, I’m going to recape the Hudson Valley Wine & Food Fest! It was a balmy Fall morning with temperatures in the low 50s! I had a great time meeting with the brand reps and mingling with the festival attendees. I also took an awesome quiz to discover my “pesto-nality.” I wasn’t even surprised when i got “classic”—I can be pretty traditional!

As much fun as the festival was, it was just hours after that shocking US Open Women’s final where Naomi Osaka defeated Serena Williams in straight sets. Being able to attend the US Open is one of my favorite perks of living in New York City. I had an inkling that Serena would make it to the finals, so I purchased my tickets about a week before the big event. I was so excited that both she AND Naomi Osaka made it to the finals. (I had been a fan of Naomi since the beginning of the tournament.) I thought this would be a win-win for me as a spectator!

But, as the match went on, strange things started happening. Unlike most sporting events, there’s no announcer speaking clearly; nor is there any way to see what’s happening on a scoreboard. All I could see was Serena talking to the umpire. I texted my dad, who I knew was watching from home, to see what was going on. And that’s how I learned about the debacle that was unfolding… via text message from my dad who was 2,000 miles away… even though I was just feet away. In fact, no one in the stadium knew what was happening. They never even showed close up video of anyone’s face, or the now-infamous racquet smashing. We were all clueless! Needless to say, the event was pretty upsetting for all involved, including us spectators. I was happy to wine & food fest my cares away the next day.

And now for this tart of puff pastry covered with Sun Dried Tomato Pesto, fresh goat cheese and fresh asparagus! This tart is super easy to make, and full of flavor. The sun dried tomato pesto is perfect for this tart because the flavor packs a punch, but any classic pesto would be delicious as well! I have been known to make own puff pastry a time or two before (like here), but these days, I appreciate a good shortcut!

To make this tart, defrost the puff pastry according to its directions, prick the pastry all over with a fork, smear 1/3 cup pesto all over, sprinkle with 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese, and line 1 pound of trimmed asparagus that has been tossed in olive oil. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes. While the tart is resting, preheat the oven to 400F (It’s very important that the oven is hot when you are baking puff pastry!)

Remove the tart from the refrigerator and bake for about 20 minutes. The crust should be golden, and the asparagus should be cooked through. The aroma of basil, sun dried tomatoes and asparagus will waft through your kitchen!

Asparagus Pesto Tart Recipe

1 sheet of puff pastry
1/3 cup Sun Dried Tomato Pesto or your favorite pesto
1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
1 pound asparagus, trimmed
olive oil
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400F. Sprinkle flour on the work surface. Place a sheet of thawed puff pastry on the work surface (you can also place the puff pastry on parchment paper). Prick the pastry all over with a fork.

Cover the pastry with the pesto in an even, thin layer. Sprinkle the goat cheese on top in an even layer. Lastly, toss the trimmed asparagus with olive oil, and line the asparagus on top of the goat cheese. Bake in a preheated oven for about 20 minutes, until the puff pastry is golden and the asparagus is cooked through. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve warm.