Asparagus in puff pastry with ham and cheese

Puff pastry bundles with asparagus, melted cheese, and ham, sprinkled with crunchy almonds on top. Asparagus in puff pastry is very quick to make, tastes amazing and looks impressive. It‘s perfect as an appetizer for your guests or a quick snack for your family!

📝 Ingredients

• 1 lb (500g) asparagus (about 20 spears)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 10 oz (280g) puff pastry sheet
• 6 slices ham
• 6 slices cheese (Swiss cheese or camembert/brie)
• 1 teaspoon thyme (you can use dried or fresh)
• salt and pepper (to taste)
• 1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 egg (for brushing the pastries)
• 6 tablespoons flaked almonds

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Start by setting the oven to 375°F/190°C/Gas Mark 5, no fan. If you have a convection oven (fan-assisted) reduce the temperature by about 20° or follow the manufacturer‘s instructions.
2. 2Prepare the asparagus: wash the asparagus and cut off the woody ends (where the green color starts to fade to white, so sometimes you have to cut off a lot, and sometimes almost nothing). Unless you've purchased very thin asparagus, peel 1/2 bottom with a vegetable peeler. Toss the asparagus with a tablespoon of olive oil and lemon juice, season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. 3Make the honey mustard sauce: whisk honey, mustard, and lemon juice until combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. 4Cut the puff pastry sheet into six squares.
5. 5Place the puff pastry squares on a large baking tray lined with parchment paper.
6. 6Place a slice of cheese on each square of puff pastry. Spread a teaspoon of the sauce on each slice of cheese.
7. 7Place a slice of ham on top of the cheese, followed by about 4-5 asparagus spears, pour over the remaining olive oil and lemon juice mixture, sprinkle with thyme, and season with salt and pepper.
8. 8Wrap the edges of the dough around the asparagus and press to seal. Brush the dough with a beaten egg. Sprinkle the dough with flaked almonds (about 1 Tbsp/bundle).
9. 9Bake for about 30-35 minutes, until the pastries are golden.
10. 10Leave to cool and enjoy!