Description
This tart is absolutely delicious—layers of phyllo dough get brushed with butter, baked a little in the oven, then slathered with a layer of zesty cilantro-pecan pesto, and a layer of Parmesan cheese. For the final touch, spears of bright green asparagus get laid in a beautiful row across the top of the tart, baked again until golden and melted to perfection!
Ingredients
- FOR THE TART:
- 1-½ stick Unsalted Butter, melted
- 1 pound Phyllo Dough, Thawed According To Manufacturer’s Directions
- ¾ cups Cilantro-pecan Pesto (Recipe Included)
- 1 cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
- 1 pound Fresh Asparagus Spears
- 1 pinch Salt And Pepper, To Taste
- FOR THE PESTO:
- 2 cups Fresh Cilantro Leaves
- 3 cloves Garlic
- ⅓ cups Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Divided
- 2 Tablespoons Pecans
- ¼ cups Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
Preparation
1. For the tart, preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Melt the butter in a small bowl.
3. Roll out the phyllo dough and place a damp towel over the phyllo while you are working with it. This will keep the phyllo from drying out.
4. Place 1 sheet of phyllo on the baking sheet and brush with butter. Top with another sheet of phyllo and repeat, brushing each sheet of phyllo with butter, until all of the sheets are used up.
5. Bake the phyllo for 12-13 minutes.
6. In the meantime, make the pesto.
7. In the bowl of a food processor, process the cilantro, garlic, and 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil until a paste-like mixture forms.
8. Add the pecans and Parmesan and process until blended, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
9. With the processor running, slowly stream the remaining oil through the top of the processor until smooth.
10. Take the phyllo out of the oven and spread the pesto evenly over the entire phyllo pastry.
11. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the pesto, then trim the bottoms of the asparagus spears to fit the length of the pastry in a crosswise position.
12. Arrange the asparagus in a single layer over the cheese. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
13. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until asparagus is tender.
14. Cut into squares and serve warm.
