Prepare a spring recipe with poppy seed tartlets filled with herb ricotta, peas, fava beans, asparagus, and Petrossian salmon roe! This recipe makes individual tartlets for a starter, but can also be adapted to a large tart or mini appetizer tartlets.
Preparation: 30 minutes • Cooking: 33 minutes • Rest: 1h30
Ingredients for 4 people
For the shortcrust pastry
- 250 g flour (Type 45)
- 125 g butter, in pieces
- 2 egg yolks (1 for the dough + 1 for glazing)
- 5 cl water
- 1 tbsp poppy seeds
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 tartlet rings (12 cm diameter)
For the filling
- 450 g ricotta
- Fresh herbs of choice (chervil, chives, tarragon)
- Salt, pepper
- 1 kg fresh peas in pods or 350 g frozen peas
- 500 g fresh fava beans in pods or 150 g frozen
- 125 g salmon roe
- 1 bunch green asparagus
Method
For the tartlet bases
- Sift the flour into a mound, create a small well. Add salt, water, 1 egg yolk, and poppy seeds, mix with fingertips.
- Work the butter slightly with fingers to make it pliable, then add to the flour.
- Gradually incorporate the flour from the center, knead into a large ball. Work the dough until homogeneous, but not too long to avoid melting the butter.
- Wrap in cling film and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
- Roll out dough, cut circles larger than tartlet rings, place in greased rings.
- Press edges, prick with fork, chill 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 160°C.
- Cover tartlets with baking beads or dried lentils to prevent rising, bake ~30 minutes.
- Remove bases, brush with egg yolk, bake 3 minutes to dry glaze and make base waterproof.
- Remove from oven, let cool.
For the vegetables
- Boil water with a pinch of coarse salt.
- Trim 3–4 cm off asparagus base, peel first layer with peeler (not tips).
- Reduce heat to gentle simmer.
- Add asparagus (tips up), cook 10–12 min “al dente”.
- Check with knife; should penetrate lightly, still slightly firm.
- Shock in cold water, drain, set aside.
- Slice tips, save stems for another recipe.
- Shell peas and fava beans, cook ~5 min in water or steam.
- Drain, place in cold water to preserve green color.
- Keep vegetables chilled.
To assemble
- Chop herbs finely, mix with ricotta, salt, and pepper.
- Fill tartlet bases.
- Add peas, fava beans, asparagus tips, and salmon roe.
- Serve immediately.
Photography: Aimery Chemin • Culinary styling: Coralie Ferreira