Ricotta Cheese

1. The day before, make your vegan ricotta cheese. You will want to soak your almonds overnight, or alternatively you can boil them for 15 minutes.
2. Drain and rinse the almonds then add to a high-speed blender/food processor.
3. Add the other ingredients to the blender also, making sure to only spoon the solid cream part of the coconut milk into the blender.
4. Blend on high until it's very smooth and creamy with no almond chunks left. Stop and scrape down the sides as needed.
5. Lay out a kitchen towel and then add a few large pieces of paper towel over top of the kitchen towel.
6. Spoon the ricotta cheese onto a few large pieces of paper towel, then wrap it all up and let it set up in the fridge overnight. Alternatively, you can use cheesecloth if you have it.
7. You will likely have leftover ricotta which can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Tart Crust

1. In a small bowl, make your flax eggs by stirring together the flaxseed meal and water and letting the flax eggs “gel up” while you do the next step.
2. In a large bowl, whisk all the dry ingredients together.
3. Next, add the softened coconut oil and flax eggs and stir.
4. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time until your dough sticks together- I used 3 tablespoons, but please do this 1 tablespoon at a time.
5. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, roll or spread out the dough with your hands in whatever shape you'd like, keeping the crust about 1/4-inch thick throughout.

Making the Tart

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Gently spread some ricotta over top, leaving a border around the edges as you would making pizza. If the dough is too fragile, use your hands to spread the ricotta.
3. Wash and trim the asparagus, then in a single layer, spread the asparagus out over the ricotta cheese.
4. Cut the shallot however desired and spread over top.
5. Drizzle olive oil over the entire tart.
6. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
7. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until the asparagus looks tender and cooked.
   **NOTE: use medium thickness asparagus stalks. Too thin they will cook too quickly and too thick they won't cook enough
8. Remove from oven and let it cool slightly before garnishing with microgreens and chives.
9. Slice and serve!