Springtime Asparagus Tart

 

This week I was challenged by my friend to “veganize” Martha Stewart’s Asparagus Tart.  It was so beautiful I couldn’t wait!  Martha uses gruyere cheese in hers, but I decided to make a vegan bechamel sauce for mine.  It created a nice creamy flavor without all the dairy.  And you might be thinking to yourself, puff pastry is vegan??  Well, yes, you can make your own puff pastry from scratch using Earth Balance butter as a replacer OR Pepperidge Farm frozen puff pastry is actually vegan(!)  So give this recipe a try, it would be a perfect for Easter or a fabulous Sunday brunch 🙂 Enjoy!

Springtime Asparagus Tart

Serves 8

1 sheet of frozen puff pastry (or homemade)

1 1/2 cups vegan bechamel sauce

20-22 asparagus spears

salt and pepper to taste

vegan bechamel sauce:

3 tbsp. Earth Balance butter

2 tbsp. flour

2 cups plain almond milk

a pinch of salt

a dash of nutmeg

In a medium saucepan, heat the butter over medium-low heat until melted.  Add the flour and stir until smooth.  Over medium heat, cook until the mixture turns a light, golden sandy color, about 6 to 7 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the almond milk in a separate pan until just about to boil.  Add the hot milk to the butter mixture 1 cup at a time, whisking continuously until very smooth.  Bring to a boil.  Cook 10 minutes, stirring constantly, then remove from heat. Season with salt and nutmeg, and set aside until ready to use.

For the Tart:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

On a floured surface, lay out the puff pastry and roll to rectangle shape approximately 16 X 10.  Place the pastry on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.  Lightly score the dough 1 inch from the edges to create a frame.  Using a fork, pierce the dough in the center of the frame to prevent bubbles.  Bake for 7 minutes.

Remove from the oven and spread bechamel sauce in the center frame.  Lay the asparagus (trimmed to fit) on top and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper.  Bake for 15 minutes or until asparagus is tender.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

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