Roasted Asparagus and Cashew Ricotta Tartine
This weekend kicked our asses. It was absolutely gorgeous at the farm but the workload was almost unbearable. There truly isn’t enough hours in the day in the spring and we’re trying our best to stay on top of things. We had to till under our first sowing of beets and carrots due to the weeds. Our flame weeder is broken (we’re getting a new one this week!) but the weeds germinated faster than the seeds and it turned out to not be worth saving. Flame weeders are a great tool to have for crops like beets and carrots who germinate slowly because you can kill the weed seeds before the plants are popping up. We thought we’d be okay this one time without a flame weeder but it turned out to bite us in the ass. Ugh. We’re sowing a new round of beets and carrots this week but it will put us back a few weeks from our first harvest. Luckily we sow beets and carrots multiple times throughout the year so we’ll catch up eventually but we hate wasting time, energy and money on silly mistakes.
The highlight of our weekend was this simple meal. I made a big batch of cashew ricotta on Friday evening and we’ve made these asparagus tartines two evenings in a row. They’re simple, healthy and delicious to boot. It’s been a really long time since I’ve whipped up a batch of cashew ricotta and I’d almost forgotten how much I love this spread. It’s similar in consistency to regular ricotta cheese but has a nice balance of sweet/salty and a lovely tang. And while we love traditional ricotta cheese this is a great alternative if you’re fresh out of cheese, are avoiding dairy or just want something really tasty to spread on toast, crackers or a sandwich. If you give this recipe a whirl please let me know. It really is a lovely meal that comes together in a flash. Pour a glass of wine, sit back, and enjoy the spring bounty!
Cheers from Tumbleweed Farm.
Roasted Asparagus and Cashew Ricotta Tartine
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes Serves: 4
Cashew Ricotta- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked in hot water for 30 minutes
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 bunch of asparagus, trimmed
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 baguette of bread
- flakey sea salt for serving
- olive oil and fresh lemon juice for serving
Preparation
- Prepare the cashew ricotta by draining the cashews from the warm water. Rinse under cold water then place the cashews in a food processor along with the remainder of the ingredients. Process until smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary. Add a touch more water to thin if necessary. Taste test and adjust the seasonings if need be.
- Preheat the oven to 425. Toss the asparagus with the oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven until tender and lightly charred. About 15-20 minutes. Toss the asparagus halfway through cooking.
- Slice and toast your baguette. Spread each slice with a healthy amount of the cashew ricotta and top with roasted asparagus. Sprinkle with flakey sea salt and a drizzle of olive oil and fresh lemon juice.
Notes
*Store extra cashew ricotta in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 days *Use this recipe as a guide *Adjust measurements and ingredients as necessary
This looks like a fabulous snack or lunch! I adore cashews and I’ve been dying to try them as vegan cheese like this. I have to do it!
Love the simplicity of this dish – thank you.
And really love the cashew ricotta – what a great alternative to dairy – thank YOU
Hey Andrea!!!!! I am just loving this blog, your recipes and the farming and life adventures of you and Taylor and Henry too of course!!!! This may sound like a dumb question, but……….I am on the East Coast and the hot, hot summers and humidity that you once experienced on this coast is my reality. I know you used and probably still use sunscreen when working outside, can you recommend one that worked well and didn’t leave you feeling totally gross? Or is that even possible when you dig in the dirt for a living? Thanks so much for any help you can give. In the mean time, I am waiting for my asparagus patch to give me a few more spears so that I can make this recipe!!! 🙂
Love from Virginia!!!!
Sounds amazing! Going to make this as an appetizer tomorrow!
Andrea – damn it all about the weeds – I can only imagine the heartbreak involved in having to make the decision to nix the crop! You guys are so amazing, though, and I’m super excited to witness your bountiful season. And your asparagus toast is killer.
This looks like the perfect spring meal. I love the asparagus and cashew ricotta combo and can’t wait to try out the ricotta especially.
This looks so doable. Ive often wondered about the cashew dish, thanks for explaining the soaking step. Love reading about your farm and weekend activities. Im home growing in my backyard in the southern hemisphere but your crops are ok here too. I look forward to your posts.
I hope you enjoy this cashew spread as much as we do! Cheers!