Recipe
Asparagus and Salmon Pastries
These tasty lovely light pastries make a great starter or a tasty addition to your lunchbox or picnic basket.
Ingredients
- 18 spears white or green asparagus
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 sheets ready prepared frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 12 slices smoked salmon
Ricotta Topping:
- 250g fresh ricotta cheese
- 1 teaspoon horseradish cream (see Tip)
- 2 tablespoons cream
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
To Serve:
- Mixed lettuces or cress
- Dill to garnish (optional)
Method
- Pre heat oven to 200ºC.
- To prepare white asparagus, use a vegetable peeler or small paring knife to carefully peel about 10cm from base up each spear to remove outer tough layer only. Trim or snap off woody ends of asparagus. If using green asparagus you will not need to peel it, just snap or cut any woody ends off.
- Line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Place a pastry sheet upside down on each tray. Remove plastic film from pastry and cut into thirds. Brush pastry with beaten egg. Using a fork, prick pastry all over. Bake in preheated oven for 5-6 minutes.
- To prepare the Ricotta Topping, combine all ingredients in a bowl.
- Remove pastry from oven. Spoon some of the Ricotta Topping down centre of each rectangle of pastry. Top with salmon and asparagus. Bake until asparagus is tender and pastry is puffed and golden, 15-20 minutes.
- Serve whole or cut into 3 with mixed lettuces or cress, garnishing with dill if liked.
Tip
- Horseradish cream is a condiment often enjoyed with rare roast beef. It adds extra flavour to the ricotta filling. You should be able to find it at delicatessens, larger supermarkets and specialty food stores.
Recipe produced by culinary consultant Janet Lillie for Motta Produce.