Asparagus Goat Cheese Tart

Puff pastry is back! I eased up on it after my puff pastry filled beginning of the year, but I still had some in the freezer and it was calling to me. It was saying it felt unloved after all this time. And so, here we are again. I learned a new tip for puff pastry this time around. For once, I thought ahead and defrosted the puff pastry ahead of time. However, it should be noted, you should really unfold the puff pastry while it is defrosting. Not only does it speed up the defrosting, then the folds don’t stick to each other. I had a truly interesting time trying to un-stick the pieces to each other!

I only recently started to like asparagus (am still trying to broaden my veggie horizons). Like any weird person, I prefer the stalks. I really like my veggies crunchy and all that fiber makes me feel extra veggie virtuous. But, yes I am aware that the tips are supposed to be the best part. Really though, any vegetable tastes awesome on a bed of goat cheese on puff pastry. Maybe even broccoli rabe. (Which, frankly, blech to! So bitter! Is this an acquired taste I am missing or what? How do people eat that?)

So yes, this recipe. Delicious. Easy. Elegant. Everything looks better in tart form. That is the motto of my cooking. And also, puff pastry makes everything better.

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Fettuccine with Asparagus, Peas and Prosciutto

Spring has sprung! Actually, we’ve moved into bizarro summer. Did it really hit 90 degrees in New York in April?! But no matter, the sun is shinning, the daffodils are blooming and I saw not one, not two, but three wild turkeys roaming the streets of Englewood NJ. Who knew there are wild turkeys in suburbia!

Now that it is so gorgeous out, it is definitely time to start switching up recipes. I was waiting on line at Whole Foods and I saw the new Bon Appetit and I decided to buy it. I flipped through, bookmarked some pretty looking pages and then I saw a photo of this dish. Wow, I thought, that looks perfect for spring. But I didn’t see the recipe. So I read the caption and it instructed me to check out the recipe on the Bon Appetit website. Nyeh! Bon Appetit, you are a dying media and you already give away content for free on your website (not that I’m complaining). I paid for the magazine, so take advantage! Don’t direct me to your free website!

Anyway, the dish is delicious, no matter where the recipe came from. It feels spring-y and healthy, but also creamy and satisfying. I had several chunks of Parmesan in the fridge, so I took the leap and grated it myself in the food processor. Delicious, but we only have the blade attachment, so the food processor was not thrilled with the giant hunks of cheese I tossed in. Lesson learned, definitely cut the cheese into small (2 inch square or less) chunks. But I of course have to make things more complicated than necessary. Store bought grated is more than fine and all together this is a great weeknight meal. It comes together very quickly and easily and it is very, very tasty.

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