Asparagus and Goat Cheese Tart with Lemon-Thyme Crème Fraîche

Taste

Spring asparagus deserves a real platform, and a tart is it. Frozen Lufa puff pastry does the dough work; you spread it with goat cheese whipped together with crème fraîche, lemon zest, and thyme, lay the asparagus in tight rows, scatter shallot rings and chopped almonds over the top, and let the oven turn it into a buttery, blistered centrepiece. Cut into squares, it’s a generous dinner for four with a side salad, or a brunch-into-lunch for six. The Lufa pantry carries it: Pain dans les Voiles puff pastry, Fromagerie L’Ancêtre goat cheese, Riviera crème fraîche, French shallots, fresh thyme from Pure Horticulture, and Quebec asparagus when it’s back in season.

Instructions

1. Prep the asparagus. Preheat the oven to 220 °C (425 °F) with a rack in the upper third. Bring a wide pan of well-salted water to a boil. Drop the asparagus in and blanch for 1 minute — just enough for the colour to deepen and the stalks to bend slightly when lifted. Drain and plunge into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Pat thoroughly dry on a clean tea towel; wet asparagus will steam the pastry instead of charring on top. Toss with the olive oil and a pinch of salt. ⏱︎ 1 min
2. Whip the goat cheese filling. In a medium bowl, mash the softened goat cheese with a fork until smooth, then beat in the crème fraîche, lemon zest, half of the thyme leaves, a generous pinch of salt, and several grinds of black pepper. The mixture should be spreadable but not runny — the texture of a thick yogurt.
3. Build the tart. Unfold the puff pastry onto a parchment-lined sheet pan. With the tip of a sharp knife, score a 1.5 cm border all the way around (don’t cut through) — this is the frame that will puff up while the centre stays flat. Spread the goat cheese mixture evenly inside the border. Arrange the asparagus stalks in a tight, single layer over the cheese, alternating tip directions so they pack neatly; trim any that overshoot the border. Scatter the shallot rings and chopped almonds over the asparagus. Brush the exposed pastry border with the beaten egg.
4. Bake. Bake on the upper rack for 25 to 30 minutes, rotating once at the halfway point, until the pastry border is deeply golden and puffed and the asparagus tips are lightly charred. The bottom should sound hollow when tapped — if the centre still looks pale and damp, give it another 3 to 5 minutes. Let rest on the pan for 5 minutes before slicing. ⏱︎ 5 min
5. Finish and serve. Scatter the remaining thyme leaves, the chives, and a generous pinch of flaky salt over the tart. Cut into 4 large rectangles. Serve warm with lemon wedges to squeeze over each piece, with a green salad and a glass of crisp white wine if you’ve got it.

Tips

• Make ahead: The goat cheese filling can be whipped up to 2 days in advance and kept covered in the fridge. The blanched, dried asparagus also holds overnight in a paper-towel-lined container. Assemble and bake just before serving — puff pastry doesn’t reward sitting around.
• Substitution: Buffalo Ricotta or a soft sheep’s milk cheese works in place of the goat cheese for something milder. If asparagus hasn’t returned to your Lufa basket yet, thinly sliced zucchini ribbons or a mix of trimmed scallions and pea shoots are excellent stand-ins.
• Make it a full meal: Serve alongside a small bowl of roasted fingerling potatoes tossed with olive oil and thyme, or a simple butterhead salad with a Dijon vinaigrette. Add a soft-boiled egg on each portion to push it firmly into “dinner” territory.
• Pastry insurance: If the pastry sheet feels soft and floppy when you unroll it, slide the parchment-lined pan into the freezer for 10 minutes before topping. Cold pastry rises higher and crisper.
• Leftovers: Reheat slices in a 200 °C (400 °F) oven for 6 to 8 minutes — the microwave will turn the bottom into a sad sponge. Cold leftovers cut into smaller pieces also make a really good lunchbox the next day.