After a rainy, grey German winter, the excitement for spring is enormous. And one of the first ingredients to signal warmer days ahead is asparagus. Green, white, and even purple varieties begin to appear across market stalls, bringing new inspiration into the kitchen. This asparagus puff pastry tart is built around that April–June moment, when the season is at its peak.
It is a simple but generous recipe: a sheet of puff pastry becomes a crisp base for something seasonal and savoury, layered with Alpine cheese, lemon zest, olive oil, and flaky sea salt. Most importantly, it comes together in under 25 minutes. Served with pickled mustard seeds, it is wonderful as a light snack, or something to slice and share at a Sunday brunch with your loved ones.
Served with Mustard Seed Pickles
This tart works because of flavour balance. The puff pastry brings a light crispness, melted Alpine cheese adds savoury depth, while the asparagus introduces gentle, earthy notes.
Topped with small spoonfuls of Maison Dupont Mustard Seed Pickles, the tart gains acidity and a pleasant texture as a final note, bringing everything into balance. Produced artisanally in Dieppe, Normandy, these whole French mustard seeds are set in an apple cider vinegar brine, gently rounded with local honey for a delicate sweet-sour balance and a refined pop on the palate. They add brightness and a subtle bite that cuts through the richness of the tart without overpowering it.
Ingredients (Serves 2–4)
• 1 sheet puff pastry
• 10–12 green asparagus spears
• 1 egg
• 150 g finely grated Alpine cheese (Bergkäse)
• Zest of ½ organic lemon
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Extra virgin olive oil (used: Koroneiki EVOO from Honest Toil)
• Flaky sea salt (used: Fleur de Sel de Guérande Sea Salt from Artisans du Sel)
• Pickled Mustard Seeds (used: Mustard Seed Pickles from Maison Dupont)
Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Place the puff pastry on a parchment-lined baking tray. Lightly prick the pastry with a fork to prevent it from puffing too much, leaving a 1–2 cm border around the edges. Lightly brush with olive oil.
2. In a bowl, whisk the egg, add a pinch of sea salt, lemon zest, and freshly ground black pepper, then stir in the grated Alpine cheese.
3. Spread the mixture evenly over the pastry, keeping within the border.
4. Trim the woody ends of the asparagus and arrange the spears evenly on top of the pastry. Press them gently into the filling and lightly brush with olive oil. Fold the border edges inward and press lightly with a fork to seal.
5. Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the pastry is golden and crisp, the cheese melted, and the asparagus tender with lightly roasted edges.
Remove from the oven, finish with flaky sea salt, and serve with a spoonful of Maison Dupont Mustard Seed Pickles on top. Eat well.
