Creamy Asparagus Tart
May Recipe from The Real Island Food Company
The best things come in small packages, or with food, short seasons. This is especially true with asparagus, which puts in a tantalisingly brief appearance in April and May. It’s so good, especially when it comes freshly picked from the farm down the road, in our case The Garlic Farm at Newchurch. You will need:
A ready-made savoury pastry case (6-8 ") or enough pastry to fill your flan dish (6"-8 ")
500g asparagus
2 free range eggs
3 oz grated Lyburn lightly smoked cheese
150ml Coppid Hall double cream
Preheat oven to 180 ˚C. Roll out and line your flan dish with the pastry. Prick the base of the pastry case and bake blind for 10mins. Meanwhile cut the tender tips of the asparagus to a length of approximately 2 inches, rinse and set aside. (if you have the inclination the rest of the stems can be used to make asparagus soup) In a bowl lightly whisk the eggs and add the cheese, cream and season a pinch of salt and a good grind of pepper.
Place the asparagus tips in the pastry case and pour the egg mixture over the top. Place in the oven and cook for approx 15-20 mins until golden brown and set. Serve warm or cold, on it’s own or with some fresh salad leaves or slices of Island grown beefsteak tomato. Enjoy!