This dish looks impressive but it couldn’t be easier! A great option for an elegant lunch or brunch.

You simply mix all the ingredients for the baked ricotta in one bowl – I found a fabulous local sheep’s ricotta and if you want an even lower fat version, cottage cheese is a great substitute.

And of course the second star of the show is some seasonal asparagus!

For a punchy dressing you roast off some cherry tomatoes and red peppers and blitz with olive oil and sherry vinegar. Then serve with chargrilled asparagus sprinkled with some smoked sea salt.

Ingredients

400g cherry tomatoes

1 red pepper roughly chopped into 1/4

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar (or balsamic)

Pinch chilli flakes (optional)

500g ricotta (or cottage cheese)

2 large free-range eggs

1 garlic clove thinly sliced

1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme

½ tsp chilli flakes

50g finely grated parmesan

250g fresh asparagus (woody ends removed)

Smoked sea salt to serve

Lemon wedges

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180°C. First make the tomato pepper dressing – place the tomatoes and red pepper on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle over sea salt and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes until soft. Remove from the oven to cool. Peel the skin off the red pepper and transfer to a blender with the cooked tomatoes. Add the oil, vinegar and blend until smooth. Set aside.
2. In the meantime Lightly grease 6 ramekins (or muffin tin) with butter. Mix the ricotta in a bowl with the eggs, garlic thyme, chilli flakes, parmesan and salt and pepper to taste. Spoon into the prepared dishes, then bake for 20 – 30 minutes until golden.
3. While the cheese is baking chargrill the asparagus spears on a hot grill pan for approximately 8 mins until they are charred on all side’s but still crunchy. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with smoked sea salt
4. Serve the baked cheese at room temperature with the warm asparagus and tomato dressing, a good squeeze of fresh lemon really lifts it.