Bunches of earthy asparagus stand at attention on market shelves come spring, primed to go tender and sweet without losing their sculptural beauty. While there’s a time and a place for DIY dough, this halfway-homemade galette starts with frozen puff pastry so you can focus on the vegetable-studded filling. At the base is tangy cream cheese, seasoned with Pecorino Romano and garlic, plus a whisked-in egg to help it brown and puff up around the perky spring veg. While you may be tempted to pull it out of the oven when the top starts to brown, taking the pastry past light golden edges ensures a crispy crust that’s properly cooked all the way through. Just before serving, drop a tumbleweed of lemony arugula right on top of the galette; it makes for a laid-back presentation still far more exciting than a side salad. It’s a meal in its own right, but to stretch servings to 6 or 8, pair with roast chicken or grilled sausage.
Test Kitchen Tip: Rolling 2 sheets of pastry together from a 17.3-oz package (we like Pepperidge Farm) gives you an extra-large slab, but a single sheet from a 14-oz. package also works. Either way, the fat can get a smidge warm after rolling the pastry out, which will prevent it from puffing as much as possible when baked. Make sure to chill it while you assemble the filling for the flakiest results.
