Learn how to make a delicious savoury asparagus phyllo tart with this easy recipe. The crispy phyllo pastry base is topped with ricotta and herb filling and fresh asparagus before baking until golden brown.
We are finally starting to see beautiful local Quebec asparagus pop up at the market, which means that spring is here (even if the weather gods didn't get the memo and sent snow our way this morning).
Baked goods do not always have to be all about the sugar. You can make savoury muffins with cold cuts or chili cheddar cornbreads, savoury loaf cakes with date and chorizo, cheddar biscuits, scones with cheese. Baking with savoury ingredients opens up a whole world of possibilities, like this feta phyllo tart with asparagus.
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What You Need To Make This Feta Phyllo Tart
This savoury phyllo tart is made from simple ingredients you should be able to easily find at your local grocery store. Here's what you need:
- Phyllo dough sheets, thawed in the fridge overnight if frozen (approximately 300 grams)
- Butter—I used unsalted butter, melted so that the phyllo pastry isn't too salty and will make a nice contrast with the savoury filling
- Cheese—I used both ricotta cheese for creaminess and crumbled feta cheese for maximum flavour
- Fresh lemon
- Herbs—can be as simple as fresh flat-leaf parsley, oregano, or even curly parsley if you prefer
- Salt & pepper
- Fresh asparagus—choose thin, crisp, long asparagus (the kind you see in early spring) which tends to be more tender and less woody or stringy when cooked
- Olive oil, for drizzling
Please see the recipe card for the exact ingredients and quantities.
How To Make a Tart With Phyllo
I realize that not everybody has the time to make a dough for a savoury tart from scratch, so to simplify this recipe, I opted to use phyllo dough instead of a homemade dough. Phyllo is a delicate, paper thin sheet of dough that you can smear with butter and stack to create a base for pies, tarts, and all kinds of fun hors-d'oeuvres. Using phyllo for this tart yields a crisp, flaky, buttery base that is the perfect canvas to display long stalks of vibrant green spring asparagus.
Step 1—start by laying down a sheet of phyllo pastry on the bottom of a half-sheet pan and brushing with melted butter from edge to edge (image 1). Repeat with all 12 sheets of phyllo, layering them on top of each other neatly. Snap the woody bases off of the asparagus spears (image 2).
Step 2—mix the ingredients for the ricotta filling in a small bowl, then smear them over the phyllo base, leaving a thin border at the edges (around 1 cm), then arrange the asparagus on top (image 3). If you have a little extra feta cheese, you can crumble it on top to decorate the tart (image 4) then bake until the phyllo crust is crispy and golden brown (image 5).
Phyllo Tart FAQs
Some people butter every third sheet of phyllo pastry, but for this recipe with only 12 sheets, I brush a very thin layer of butter on each sheet to create a really crispy tart shell.
In the case of this phyllo tart, you do not have to blanch the asparagus before using it. The raw asparagus will be perfectly roasted when the phyllo is crispy.
Upon storage, the phyllo tart will become softer and loose some of it's crispiness. This is inevitable. It is best eaten when freshly baked or served the same day. You can reheat it in a low oven to help crisp up the shell after.
Other Savoury Baking Recipes
If you love to explore more recipes like this, check out these fun savoury baking recipes:
If you tried this recipe for the best asparagus phyllo tart (or any other recipe on my website), please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
📖 Recipe
Asparagus Phyllo Tart
Ingredients
- 12 sheets phyllo pastry thawed
- 85 grams unsalted butter melted
- 265 grams ricotta cheese
- 100 grams feta cheese crumbled
- 5 mL finely grated lemon zest
- 60 mL flat leaf parsley finely chopped
- Salt & freshly ground pepper
- 680 grams fresh asparagus woody ends snapped off
- extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 °F (200 °C) with the baking rack in the middle. Line a large rimmed half-sheet pan that is approximately 13”x18” (45.7cm x 33cm) with parchment paper. Use a light-coloured aluminum sheet pan if possible (see notes).
- Begin by building the phyllo base of the tart. Lay a sheet of phyllo over the parchment, then brush lightly with melted butter from edge to edge over the entire surface. Top with the next sheet of phyllo, brushing it with butter. Repeat the process over and over again until you have stacked and buttered the 12 sheets of phyllo. This is your tart base.
- In a bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, half of the crumbled feta, lemon zest, chopped parsley, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then spread the cheese filling thinly and evenly over the phyllo tart base, leaving a 1-inch (2.5 cm) border.
- Prepare the asparagus by washing and drying it. Snap off and discard the woody ends. Arrange the asparagus over the cheese layer, pressing it in gently. Sprinkle with remaining crumbled feta, then drizzle with olive oil.
- Bake the tart on the middle rack until the edges are a deep golden brown and crisp, about 30 to 35 minutes. Cut into squares and serve immediately.
Notes
- If you are using a baking sheet with a dark or black finish, you may need to lower the oven temperature by 25ºF down to 375°F (190 °C).
- When working with phyllo dough, thaw according to the package instructions. Also, be sure to keep the phyllo dough covered to keep it from drying out. I like to cover it with a kitchen towel, then very lightly spritz the towel with a fine mist of water.
Nutrition
To find the recipe for this asparagus tart, visit the asparagus phyllo tart recipe on the Produce Made Simple website. The Produce Made Simple website is packed full of information on fresh produce with lots of recipe inspiration, so be sure to stick around!
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