The Asparagus Tart Is The Best Spring Appetizer You Can Make Without Too Much Effort And Time Spent In The Kitchen?

“My favorite way to eat asparagus is steamed and drenched in melted butter, and with such a brief season, it’s hard to tire of that simple pleasure … but, sometimes, the occasion demands a bit more effort. Not much, though; this tart, which plays on the grassy spears’ affinity with rich, creamy flavors, looks impressive, but is actually more of an assembly job.

Prep 5 min
Chill 20 min
Cook 1 h r 10 min
Serves 4-6

For the pastry (or use 250g ready-made shortcrust pastry)
225g plain flour, plus extra to dust, salt, 120g cold butter , plus extra to grease, 1 egg yolk

For the filling
300g asparagus, 284ml double cream, 2 eggs, beaten, 50g Gruyère or nutty cheddar, or vegetarian alternative, finely grated Nutmeg, to grate (optional),

1 Start with the pastry
You could use shop-bought shortcrust, but it’s increasingly hard to find any made with butter, and the others tend to both contain palm oil and not taste half as good, so I’d strongly recommend giving homemade a go; it’s really not as hard as they make out on Bake Off.
2 Make the dough
Put the flour and a good pinch of salt in a large bowl, then grate or cut in the butter (alternatively, mix them in the small bowl of a food processor). Use your fingertips, or the pulse function, to […]”