This is such an easy way to make a tart that is both very impressive and very delicious. All sorts of toppings will work well on, but we particularly like this version with a Italian-style white sauce, new potatoes and asparagus. It’s also a great way to make a small harvest of new potatoes (early in the season) stretch to feed a family. In the photo below we’ve also added some roasted and sliced sweet potato which is a great additions. Griddled sprouting broccoli , scallions (spring onions) or baby leeks would be a good alternative to the asparagus.

If you can find all-butter puff pastry this will be especially delicious, but it’s increasingly hard to find in the shops. If you can’t find it then any pre-rolled puff you can find will work OK. Or you could even consider making your own puff or rough puff pastry.

Makes 1 tart which serves 4-6 people

150-200g new potatoes, washed very well but not peeled
1 tablespoon olive oil
150g asparagus, woody ends trimmed off
A squeeze of lemon juice of a teaspoon of white wine vinegar
1 x 10cm sprig of rosemary, finely chopped
1 x 320g sheet of pre-rolled puff pastry (all-butter if you can find it)
1 egg, lightly beaten or a couple of tablespoons of milk

For the sauce:
125g mascarpone
15g parmesan, finely grated – plus extra to serve
1 clove of garlic, finely grated or crushed to a paste
Salt and pepper

1. Fill a small saucepan with water and bring to the boil over a high heat. Once boiling season, the water generously with salt and add the whole new potatoes. Bring the water back to the boil and then turn the heat down to medium and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked and can be pierced easily with a knife. Drain the potatoes and set aside to cool.

2. While the potatoes are cooking griddle the asparagus. Heat a griddle pan or a frying pan over a very high heat. Toss the asparagus spears in a bowl with the olive oil and salt and pepper. Cook the asparagus in the hot pan for 2 minutes, turning frequently, until it is charred on all sides. Take the asparagus out of the pan, add a squeeze of lemon or a a  and set aside to cool.

3. To make the sauce mix the mascarpone and grated parmesan with the crushed garlic and add salt and pepper to taste. If the sauce is too thick to spread thin it out with a tablespoon of hot water.

4. Preheat the oven to 200°C fan/220°C conventional/Gas mark 7. Slice the cooled new potatoes into slices. Cut each asparagus spear into 3 pieces on an angle.

5. Unroll the sheet of puff pastry, you can leave it on the baking parchment it comes rolled in. Put the pastry with its sheet of baking parchment onto a large baking tray.

   Using a small, sharp knife mark a border 1.5cm all the way round the edge of the pastry. Don’t cut right through the pastry just mark a line with the tip of the knife. Spread the mascarpone sauce all over the sheet of pastry, staying inside the line marked with the knife, and then sprinkle over most of the chopped rosemary. Arrange the sliced new potatoes and asparagus over the top of the mascarpone sauce layer. Brush the edges of the tart (where there is no topping) with a little of the lightly beaten egg or with a little bit of milk.

6. Put the tart in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the pastry is golden and cooked through on the bottom. Sprinkle over a little more parmesan and a grind of black pepper and serve the tart warm or at room temperature with a crisp green salad.