Asparagus season is the best time of year! I grew up picking asparagus at a local
farm, and now I relish the opportunity to have fresh picked asparagus. The season to get fresh picked asparagus is short. In honor of this delicious spring-time vegetable, I am going to start a mini-series of asparagus recipes for you all to enjoy! The first of the series will be an asparagus tomato tart.
This tart was very easy to put together. A simple whole wheat dough recipe topped with fresh vegetables , salty feta cheese, and a mouth-watering balsamic drizzle. The balsamic is my favorite part of the asparagus tomato tart. It is simple to reduce the balsamic yourself, or you can buy balsamic reduction from the store. I don’t recommend using the vinegar without reducing it first. It will be too thin, and make a soggy mess out of the tart crust.
Recommendations for the Asparagus Tomato Tart recipe:
- If you want to use regular whole wheat flour, you will need a lot less all purpose flour because the tough grain will soak up more liquid than the white whole wheat flour. Alternatively, you could use only 1/2 cup regular whole wheat and sub the rest with all purpose flour.
- Don’t have fresh tomatoes where you live yet? Try crushing whole canned tomatoes instead.
- No pizza stone? Try preheating a pan in the oven to put the crust onto. This will help it to build a crispy edge. Unless you use a pizza peel, I recommend building the tart once the crust is placed on the hot pan.
- Try cutting the tart into small bite size pieces to serve as an appetizer!
- 1 cup white whole wheat flour
- 2¼ tsp quick rise yeast (or 1 packet)
- 1 ½ tsp sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 TBS melted butter or neutral flavored oil
- ⅔ cup water (120-130°F)
- ¾ cup all purpose flour, plus some for kneading
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 cup asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces, about 14 small spears
- 1 medium tomato, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 oz feta cheese crumbles
- ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar
- Mix together white whole wheat flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Pour melted butter and hot water over over the yeast mixture. Stir until well combined.
- Mix in all purpose flour until a shaggy dough forms. Transfer to a floured working surface and knead until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add enough extra flour to keep it from sticking to your hands.
- Cover and let rise on top of the stove while the oven preheats, about 15 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 425 with a pizza stone.
- Press the dough into a rectangle, about 8x12 inches. Use a brush to evenly coat the top with olive oil. Top with tomato slices, asparagus, garlic and feta.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown.
- Meanwhile, heat balsamic vinegar in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Let it simmer about 5 minutes, or until it is reduced to about 2 TBS, give or take.
- Drizzle balsamic reduction over the pizza. Cut into 4 squares.
Not my cup of tea, but I know of several ladies that would think this was just wonderful.
I thought it was wonderful too. Thanks Lee!