This is a summer crowd-pleaser full of the bright green flavours of June: asparagus, pea and parsley in a savoury set custard, served with a freshly dressed watercress salad and a slice of sourdough bread.
Despite having lots of ricotta, double cream and Greek yoghurt in it, it tastes fresh and light and makes a perfect dinner-party starter or a light lunch. Just ten minutes prep time and 40 minutes to bake.
Ingredients
Serves 6
1 bunch asparagus
750g frozen peas
2 bunches spring onion
1 small bunch mint, leaves only
100g parsley
250g ricotta
300ml double cream
100g thick Greek yoghurt eg Lancashire
6 large eggs
10g sea salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
80g Parmesan cheese, coarsley grated
To serve:
watercress
Vinaigrette:
50ml olive oil
1 tablespoon red/white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey or agave syrup
Salt and pepper
Method
Line a baking dish with parchment, or butter and breadcrumb individual ramekins or timbales as you would for soufflés.
Oven on to 160C.
Defrost the peas. Prep the asparagus: snap the stems and discard the woody ends (or you could add them to a veggie soup). Use a veg peeler to light scrape the sides, removing the little tufts so you have clean stems. Now cut the tips and set aside, so you have just the middle part of the stem.
Wash, trim and roughly chop the spring onion.
Wash and destem the parsley, we’re just using the leaves but save the stems for soup or stock-making, they freeze well.
Put all the veg and the parsley in a food processor, add the ricotta, cream and yoghurt, eggs, salt and pepper and blitz until you have a fairly well integrated but still quite chunky mix.
Pour this into the prepared baking dish or moulds, and lay the asparagus tips on top. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan and bake for 35-40 minutes until just set with a slight wobble in the centre.
If you’re making individual ones you could put the ramekins or moulds in a roasting tin and add some boiling water to make a bain marie. Bake these for 20 minutes.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
Make the vinaigrette: place the mustard, vinegar and honey in a bowl with a pinch of salt and slowly whisk in the oil so that the dressing emulsifies.
Check and adjust the seasoning, a touch more vinegar or oil may be required
© Linda Galloway 2025