Minted Asparagus & Ricotta Tart

Spring has been with us for a while now, although the wind has turned very cold this week, especially when the sun goes in. That hasn't stopped us spending as much time as we can outside, whether it's in the park improving our basketball skills or jet washing the decking.

What I'm really looking forward to most though, is al fresco dining with family and friends. I started boot camp a few weeks ago and have been doing a Friday night session for a couple of weeks, and there's nothing more satisfying than coming home from a workout, taking a shower, and then cracking open a bottle of wine to eat with dinner. Over the next few weeks, as the evenings get warmer, I'll be enjoying those glasses of wine in the garden hopefully.

The arrival of spring has also brought changes for Australia's number one heritage wine brand, Lindeman's, with the introduction of a new look bottle.

Each bottle from the Bin Range has been spruced up with the new Lindeman’s logo, focusing on the brand’s Australian background. The phrase ‘In Life Happiness’, which appears on the bottle in Latin, reflects Dr. Henry Lindeman’s words ‘the one purpose of wine is to bring happiness’. This motto truly underpins the Lindeman’s brand, bringing delight in each sip and 1,000 hours of sunshine in every drop.

To accompany a new look bottle of Lindeman's Bin 65 Chardonnay I've used some seasonal spring ingredients in a rustic tart - neat shortcrust pastry tarts have never really been my forté so it's a good job we like the rustic look.

I absolutely love asparagus and it's available so cheaply at the moment, so I'm making the most of it and buying plenty. I've teamed it up with some mint from my garden which I've recently planted and hope will be growing in abundance by the time Pimms season comes along.

Minted Asparagus & Ricotta Tart - makes a 23cm tart

375g sheet of ready rolled shortcrust pastry

4 eggs

300ml double cream

salt & pepper 

handful of fresh mint leaves, chopped

12 asparagus spears, trimmed

125g ricotta

• Lay the pastry sheet into a loose bottomed tart tin - you may need to roll out a little more if it doesn't fit your tin
• Place in the fridge for approx 30 minutes
• Place a sheet of baking paper over the pastry & cover with baking beans
• Bake in a preheated 180C oven for 10 minutes before removing the baking beans & paper & return to the oven for an additional 5 minutes
• Set aside whilst preparing the filling
• Whisk the eggs and cream together & season with salt & pepper & add the chopped mint leaves
• Pour the creamy egg mixture into the pastry case until it comes halfway up
• Lay the asparagus stems onto the egg mixture
• Crumble the ricotta in & pour more egg mixture in until it comes almost to the top
• Place into the oven and bake for 25 minutes until lightly golden brown

Serve warm or cold with baby new potatoes with herb butter, and a pea shoot and baby leaf salad

Lindeman's - it's the sunshine that makes it

I'm once again working with Lindeman's as an Ambassador - keep your eye out for future recipes, news and giveaways.

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This post has been commissioned by Lindeman's