Free-Form New Potato Tart with Asparagus
This very rustic, free form tart feels unfussy yet quietly impressive, ideal for a picnic or a relaxed supper. Flaky puff pastry provides a golden base for slices of pre boiled new potatoes tossed in herby crème fraîche with a touch of chilli and garlic, then scattered with asparagus and freshly grated parmesan. A light, charming showstopper that looks like home cooking and tastes like a treat.
The eating experience balances creamy, tangy and savoury notes against a variety of textures: crisp, buttery pastry, tender potato slices carrying fragrant herbs and chilli warmth, snappy asparagus tips and nutty parmesan. The approach is deliberately simple and forgiving, assembling the components on pastry and baking until lightly golden to produce a sliceable tart that delights hot or cold.
Cook: 15-20 minutes
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 400g puff pastry
- 500g new potatoes, parboiled so that they are just tender, then slice thinly with their skin on
- 1 large red chilli, finely chopped
- 4 tbsp mixed herbs, finely chopped (I use a mixture of fresh herbs from my garden)
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 250ml crème fraîche
- 100g parmesan, freshly grated
- 100g fine asparagus tips
- maldon salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Method
- Preheat an oven to 220°C.
- Pastry: Roll the puff pastry into a large circle (20-25cm, you can use a pastry tin to do this) so that the pastry is 3mm thick. Place the pastry on a baking tray.
- Filling: Mix together 200ml creme fraiche with the chilli, mixed herbs, garlic, 80g of the parmesan and season with salt and pepper. Toss the potatoes in the mixture so that they are well coated. Evenly spread the filling over the pastry leaving a 2cm rim. Scatter the asparagus over the tart, spoon the remaining creme fraiche, sprinkle over the rest of the parmesan and drizzle the olive oil over the tart.
- To Cook: Cook the tart in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until the tart is light golden.
Recipe
