ASPARAGUS AND GOAT’S CURD TART

Serves 4 to 6

INGREDIENTS 400g asparagus spears, trimmed 320g goat’s curd (or 200g ricotta mixed with 120g soft, creamy goat’s cheese) Grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon and a squeeze of lemon juice ½ tsp pink peppercorns, ground 1 tbsp wild garlic pesto

FOR THE PASTRY 180g plain flour and 70g light spelt flour (or 250g plain flour) 1 tbsp buckwheat groats ½ tsp fine sea salt 125g cold unsalted butter, cubed 1 egg yolk 1 tbsp sour cream

FOR THE PINK PICKLED ONION 1 red onion, thinly sliced 2 limes, juice only 1 tsp salt, 2 tsp caster sugar

METHOD

First, make the pastry. Put the flours, buckwheat and salt in a food processor and blitz for a few seconds to combine. Add the butter and blitz again, then beat in the egg yolk and sour cream. Add a few tablespoons of iced water, one at a time, blitzing until the dough clumps together. Tip the dough out and press it into a smooth ball, then shape into a rectangle, wrap in greaseproof paper and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Roll out the chilled pastry on a lightly floured surface to a rectangle slightly bigger than a 25 x 20cm tart tin, about the thickness of a pound coin. Line the tin with the pastry, letting it overhang, prick the base and chill for 20 minutes. Line the pastry shell with crumpled greaseproof paper, fill with baking beans and blind-bake for 20 minutes, then remove the paper and beans, return the pastry to the oven and bake for 10 minutes until golden. Remove and leave to cool, then lift the shell from the tin. To make the pink pickled onions, put the onions in a large bowl, pour over boiling water and stand for 15 minutes, before draining. Add the lime juice, salt and sugar. Meanwhile, place the asparagus in a saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, drizzle with a little olive oil – just enough to coat the spears rather than fry them – season with salt and pepper, and turn the heat to medium. Cook the asparagus, shaking the pan for about four minutes, then remove from the pan and plunge immediately into a bowl of iced water. Chop the stalks of half the asparagus spears into one-centimetre discs, leaving the tips of the spears about four centimetres long. Combine the goat’s curd with the lemon zest and juice, pink peppercorns and a large pinch of salt. Season to taste, then spread the mixture on the base of the tart shell. Dot with the pesto, then swirl the pesto into the cheese lightly. Cover with the chopped asparagus tips and spears, and arrange them so they are covering the tart. Strew the onions delicately across the tart, then garnish with chervil, tarragon and borage flowers.