Recipe: Asparagus tarts with bresaola

These easy asparagus tarts will make an impressive starter at your next dinner party.

Serves 4

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, just thawed
11/2 cups spearmint leaves
1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil
1 onion, halved, thinly sliced
2 tbs balsamic vinegar
1 tbs caster sugar
3 bunches baby asparagus (24 spears)
8 slices bresaola*
100g soft goat’s cheese*, crumbled

1. Preheat oven to 200ºC. Cut pastry into four 8 x 16cm rectangles. Place on a baking paper-lined oven tray, top with a sheet of baking paper, and then another oven tray. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden.
2. Thinly shred 2/3 cup mint leaves. Heat 2 tbs oil in a frying pan over medium heat and cook onion for 5-6 minutes or until soft. Add vinegar and sugar, and cook for 1 minute or until reduced. Stir in shredded mint and set aside.
3. Rinse frying pan clean. Heat the remaining oil over high heat and cook asparagus for 2 minutes. Add bresaola and cook for a further minute. Season with salt and pepper. To serve, spoon onion mixture on to pastry bases, then top with bresaola, asparagus, goat’s cheese and remaining mint leaves.

* Bresaola, a specialty of the Lombardy region of Italy, is air-dried cured beef fillet. Substitute with prosciutto.

* Australian goat’s cheese is often sold by its French name, fromage de chèvre, in supermarkets and delicatessens.

 

Words & recipes: Lisa Featherby. Photography: Ben Dearnley. Styling: Jane Haan. Food preparation: Sophia Young.