Feast Magazine: Herbed Fresh Cheese & Asparagus Flatbreads

By: Shannon Weber
Fromage blanc sounds fancy, but it’s a workhorse in the kitchen. Think of it as your favorite cream cheese and ricotta rolled into one soft little package, only with a gorgeous flavor you’ll never get in mass-produced cheeses. I love it on everything – including just a spoonful – but one of my favorite ways to cook with it is in these spring vegetable flatbreads. They're creamy, packed with fresh herbs and brown beautifully – one bite and you’ll be hooked.

Herbed Fresh Cheese and Asparagus Flatbreads
Serves | 8 |

• 8 oz fromage blanc
• 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ tsp kosher salt
• 2 large egg yolks
• 4 medium (6- to 8-inch) naan flatbreads, divided
• 1 lb asparagus, ends trimmed
• 8 oz ball fresh mozzarella, sliced into ¼-inch rounds
• 4 to 5 scallions, ends trimmed, sliced lengthwise into very thin matchsticks
• 4 tsp olive oil, divided

| Preparation | Preheat oven to 400ºF. In a medium mixing bowl, combine fromage blanc, thyme leaves, garlic, salt and egg yolks together until incorporated. Spread all but ¼ cup onto 4 flatbreads, leaving a ½-inch border around the edges. Cut asparagus diagonally into 3-inch lengths, then lay in a single layer on flatbreads; tear mozzarella slices into 1-inch pieces and layer into asparagus, on top and underneath. Crumble remaining ¼ cup fresh cheese mixture over flatbreads, then scatter scallion matchsticks evenly over top. Drizzle each flatbread with 1 teaspoon olive oil.
Place flatbreads on a sheet pan and bake until vegetables are roasted and cheese is melted and beginning to brown, 17 to 18 minutes. Remove and slice flatbreads into long triangles; serve immediately.

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