Spring Asparagus Tart with Leeks and Ricotta

If there’s one ingredient that I almost always have stashed away in my fridge or freezer, it’s pie dough. Sometimes it’s homemade pie dough (using my perfect pie crust recipe) and other times it’s a box of the store-bought stuff. There are just so many things you can do with it, from baking sweet pies for dessert to making quiches, pot pies, tomato pies, and savory, cheesy, delightful little tarts like this one.

This spring asparagus tart with leeks and ricotta is such an elegant (but easy!) appetizer you can make for cocktail parties, dinner parties, or just happy hour at home. It can even double as dinner (or lunch or brunch) with this perfect side salad. Just be sure to keep an eye on it as it finishes baking. If the crust starts browning too quickly, lower the oven temperature so it doesn’t burn.

Here are more asparagus recipes to make while it’s in season.

Do you have to cook the asparagus before adding it to the tart?

Nope! The asparagus roasts in the oven as the pastry bakes, so there’s no need to blanch it beforehand.

How do you keep the crust from getting soggy?

There are a few simple things in this recipe that help keep the crust nice and crisp. First, the leeks are cooked before they go on the tart, which helps eliminate extra moisture. Second, the dough is kept thin, so it bakes up quickly and gets golden and crisp. And third, the fontina is sprinkled right over the crust, creating a little barrier between the dough and the creamy toppings. The high oven temperature helps, too! Just keep in mind that, like most tarts, it’s best served fresh from the oven while the crust is at its crispiest.