White Asparagus & Parmesan Tart
By Raybird.
Servings: 3. Veg or Non-Veg 
This White Asparagus and Parmesan tart is ideal for a delicious and indulgent brunch. The flaky crust is filled with a parmesan cheese sauce that is light and creamy, allowing the juicy asparagus to sink into it. Finished with cherry tomatoes, more grated cheese, and a generous sprinkle of fresh ground black pepper, you will be dreaming about this tart for days after eating it. I know I am.
Ingredients
Crust
|
All Purpose Flour |
1.5 cups (187 gm) |
| Butter, very cold, cut into 1/2 inch cubes |
3/4 cup (187 gm) |
| Salt |
1/4 tsp |
| Sugar |
1 tsp |
| Water, ice cold |
About 100ml |
Filling
|
Cream Cheese |
1 packet (200gm) |
|
Ambrosi Parmigiano Reggiano, or |
1/2 cup, grated Plus more for garnish |
| Milk |
3 tbsp |
| Coquet Spanish White Asparagus, Extra Large |
1 Bottle (540 gm) |
| Cherry Tomatoes | 8 pcs |
| Black Pepper, freshly ground | To taste |
| Herbs (fresh oregano, basil, parsley) | To garnish |
Method
- For the crust, combine the flour, salt and sugar and mix.
- Add the cubed butter into the flour and squish each cube between your fingers to flatten it. Work quickly, you want everything to stay cold.
- Add the cold water very slowly. If it is too dry, add a little more at a time just until it starts to come together. You might not need all 100ml.
- Dust your work surface and the dough with flour and roll the dough out into a long rectangle. We are going to fold the dough once, you don't have to do this but it will make the dough more light and flakey after baking.
- The dough is rolled into a rectangle, the long side is parallel to the table. Fold it like a letter, first from the right side towards the middle, and then from the left side over the first fold. Then fold once from the top to the bottom. It should be a rough square now.
-
Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and keep it to chill and rest in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Cont...
-
Prepare the cheese spread by mixing the cream cheese, grated cheese (we recommend Parmigiano Reggiano, but if you prefer a 100% vegetarian option, we recommend Soft Spot Parmesan Cheeze or Ford Farm Vintage Extra-Mature Cheddar), milk, and cracked black pepper.
- Drain the asparagus in a colander to remove the liquid.
-
Cut the cherry tomatoes in half. Cont...
- Prepare your tart mould by greasing it with butter and dusting it with flour. Keep it in the fridge to chill.
- Remove the chilled dough and roll it into a circle, making sure there is enough extra dough to come up the sides of your tart mould. Do not roll it too thin. It should be about 1/8" thick. Dust generously with flour while rolling and flip it over a couple of times to prevent it from sticking. Work fast so the butter does not melt.
- Once rolled out, put your rolling pin on the top edge and roll the whole sheet of dough onto the rolling pin like a roll of paper. Place the mould in front and then unravel the dough on top of the mould.
- Gently push the dough into the mould covering all sides. Use a knife or run the rolling pin over the top of the mould to cut off the excess dough. Wrap and save the dough scraps, they can be used to make a mini tart, or baked and eaten as a snack. Who doesn't love pie crust?
- Using a fork poke holes into the bottom of the pie crust, this prevents the dough from bubbling up while it bakes. Keep it in the fridge to chill and rest again for at least 30 minutes. If it is not chilled, it will shrink while baking. In the meantime pre heat the oven to 190°C.
- Cut a piece of butter paper and put it on top of the crust. It should be larger than the crust so it is easy to lift up after baking. Pour two cups of raw rice or beans which will act as weight on the crust while it is baking.
- Place the crust lined with parchment paper and filled with beans into the preheated oven and bake for about 30 minutes, until the edges are golden brown.
-
Lift and remove the parchment paper and beans and put the crust back in the oven for another 10 minutes or until it is browned on all sides and on the bottom. Remove the crust and let it cool. If you fill the crust while it's warm, it will become soggy. Cont...
- Spread the cheese filling inside the tart. Arrange the asparagus spears on top, and put the halved cherry tomatoes around the crust. Grate more cheese and crack fresh black pepper on top.
- Put the filled tart back in the oven on full heat, or under a broiler for a couple of minutes to warm the cheese filling and slightly brown the top of the asparagus and tomatoes.
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Remove the tart from the oven and let it cool before trying to remove it from the mould. Garnish with fresh herbs and serve with a salad on the side. Cont...
