Tomato, Asparagus, And Herbed Ricotta Tart

Hey y'all. While lots of cooking has been happening here (pandemic, etc), I will freely admit that it has not been particularly inspired. More of a "what will get us fed somewhat healthily with a minimum of effort", which means nothing makes it onto the level of saving the recipe on this site. The discovery of this tart recipe was remarkable in that I had a lot of what was needed AND it sounded really different from our usual meals. I upped all the herbs by quite a bit, since I love them, and didn't use any garlic though I'm sure that would be a nice addition. I know the original recipe says it makes 6 servings, so don't be alarmed by A and I ate this whole thing, split between just the two of us. And I don't regret that decision at all.

Tomato, Asparagus, And Herbed Ricotta Tart

Adapted from Leite's Culinaria

Ingredients 

• One (9- to 11-oz) sheet puff pastry rolled to a 10- by 12-inch (25- by 30-cm) rectangle
• 12 ounces whole milk ricotta
• 1 3/4 ounces (about 1/2 cup) Parmesan cheese finely grated
• 1 medium sprig (about 10-12 leaves) fresh basil finely chopped
• 1/4 oz package of fresh chives finely chopped
• small bunch of flat-leaf parsley finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, optional
• Zest of 1/2 or whole lemon 
• 5 ounces asparagus spears woody ends trimmed
• 1 medium tomato, sliced and seeds removed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large egg beaten
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Unroll the puff pastry onto the prepared baking sheet.
3. Using a sharp knife, score a 3/4-inch (2 cm) border around the edge of the pastry, being careful to not cut all the way through. Prick the pastry inside the border all over with a fork. This will help to stop it from puffing up in the oven.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the ricotta, garlic (if using), Parmesan, chopped herbs, and lemon zest, then season liberally.
5. Spread the ricotta mixture over the tart inside the border. Place the asparagus spears over the tart and dot around the tomatoes. Gently press down on the tomatoes so that they sink slightly into the ricotta mixture, brush lightly with olive oil.
6. Brush the pastry border with the beaten egg and bake until the pastry is golden and cooked through, 20 to 30 minutes. Season with pepper and serve.