Asparagus and Creamy Ricotta Tart with Almond Mustard Glaze

By á-77268

I love tarts but the crusts are usually loaded with fat and carbs which isn’t very waist line friendly. Sure there are fabulous crustless quiches and tarts out there but sometimes you just want a little flaky goodness. This crust is made of almond and coconut flour so it does react differently that your average crust. Be sure to keep a good eye on it while baking as the coconut flour cooks faster than all-purpose. I lowered the temperature by 25 deg as well.

I really wanted to “fancy” this dish up a bit so I thought I would add a savory glaze of mustard and slivered almonds. Asparagus pairs nicely with nuts and the low acidity of Dijon mustard. Although first produced in Dijon, France, Dijon mustard does not have to made in that region, provided it follows the formula that was first devised in 1865 by Jean Naigeon, a mustard maker from Dijon. In his smooth, brown seed mustard, verjuice—an acidic juice made from unripe grapes—was substituted for the common vinegar. Acidity slows the reaction that produces the intense heat of mustard, so switching to a less acidic liquid gives Dijon mustard a robust profile, intensified heat, and a more pungent flavor.

Today, most Dijon mustards are made with other low acidity liquids—most commonly white wine—and utilize the hotter brown and/or black mustard seeds. Its sharp and strong flavor can be used in most places yellow mustard can when you’re looking to add a more of a mustard-y bite. Dijon works especially well in vinaigrettes, mayos, and sauces, where a little can go a long way in developing flavor.

A slice of this lovely tart has 2.4g net carbs and only 3 Weight Watchers points per serving. Serve it with a tangy citrus and romaine salad dressed with white balsamic vinegar and a dash of salt and pepper.

Ingredients

• 5 tbsp butter cold , cubed
• 3/4 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 scant cup almond flour
• 5 tbsp cottage cheese small-curd
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 tsp water cold
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 cup ricotta
• 1/4 cup spinach baby, chopped
• 1/2 cup parsley fresh, finely chopped
• 2/3 cup Parmesan
• Salt
• black pepper
• 1/2 bunch asparagus
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1 tbsp agave nectar
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp vegetable stock
• 2 tbsp almonds slivered

Details

Servings 6
Preparation time 95mins
Cooking time 120mins
Adapted from not-too-sweet.com

Preparation

Step 1

Quickly work together the butter cubes, flours, cottage cheese and salt, either in a food processor or by hand in a bowl, until pea-sized clumps form.

Add 1½ teaspoons water and work together quickly into a smooth dough. Wrap in plastic and cool in refrigerator for 20 minutes.

Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and roll out into a disk about 1/8 inch thick.

Add more flour to the surface as you roll so that the dough doesn't stick.

The dough will be different from that of a dough made from all-purpose flour. It may be a little crumbly. After rolling out the dough I placed my greased tart pan on the dough and flipped my cutting board so the dough fell into the pan. If it sticks use a wide spatula to scrape the sticky bits off and simply patch the areas that came apart using cold water on your finger tip to smooth it out. Be sure to gently press the dough gently along the bottom edge and pinch a little at the top of the side edges.

Cut away the excess pie dough that may be hanging over the sides. Cover the pie shell with plastic wrap and let it cool in refrigerator 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Remove pie shell from refrigerator, remove the plastic wrap and prick the bottom with a fork. Cover the edges with aluminum foil and bake in the middle of the oven for about 15 minutes or until the bottom is baked through and begins to brown.

Remove the crust from the oven and remove the aluminum foil.

Chop the garlic and place in a bowl. Add the ricotta and blend together with the spinach, parsley and 2/3 of the grated cheese. Season with salt and pepper and distribute the filling evenly in the pie shell.

Break off the tough parts of the asparagus. Spread the asparagus lengthwise over the ricotta mixture and lightly press it into the mixture.

Crack the eggs over the filling, season with salt and pepper, and top with the rest of the grated cheese.

Bake in the middle of the oven for about 25 minutes, until the eggs are set and the edges are golden brown.

For the glaze, in a small pot over medium heat whisk together stock, agave nectar, thyme and mustard and stir until mixture is reduced. Pour glaze over prepared tart slice and serve immediately.

http://www.not-too-sweet.com/asparagus-creamy-ricotta-tart-with-almond-mustard-glaze/