Asparagus and gruyere tart

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 sheet pre-rolled puff pastry 
• 500g asparagus (on the thin side)
• 150g Gruyère cheese, shredded
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 egg, beaten
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. 
2. On a floured surface roll out the defrosted puff pastry. 
3. Place on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment (usually wrapping the pastry in the box), allowing a little paper to hang over. 
4. With a sharp knife, lightly score pastry dough 2cm (¾ inch) in from the edges to mark a rectangle taking care not to cut right through the pastry.
5. Using a fork pierce dough inside the border.  
6. Brush the border with a little beaten egg seasoned with salt and pepper. 
7. Chill the pastry for 15 mins in the fridge, then bake until golden and puffed up, about 15 mins. 
8. Remove pastry shell from oven, and gently press the central area down with a spoon (so that the pastry has a high border)
9. Sprinkle the pastry shell with the Gruyère. 
10. Trim the bottoms of the asparagus spears to fit crosswise inside the tart shell. Arrange in a single layer over the Gruyère, alternating ends and tips. Brush with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake until asparagus spears are tender, 20 to 25 mins.

ASPARAGUS AND HOLLANDAISE TART

You can also use some hollandaise sauce instead of the cheese. Just add another beaten egg to the sauce, and fill the pastry shell with this mixture, topping with asparagus as above and baking until the asparagus is roasted, and the hollandaise has a golden brulé appearance.

This recipe first appeared on Gourmet Today, May, 2016.