Asparagus and Emmentaler Tart
 
A crisp and flaky tart filled with Emmentaler cheese and creamy custard topped with fresh asparagus.
Ingredients
Black Pepper and Sour Cream Pastry
  • 2¼ cups/325g all propose/plain flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
  • 2 sticks/225g cold, unsalted butter, cut in small cubes
  • 3 tablespoons sour cream
  • 3-4 tablespoons ice water, more if needed
Filling and Topping
  • 1 cup/235ml heavy cream (double cream)
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1¼ cups/150g shredded Emmentaler cheese
  • 1 pound/455g fresh asparagus
Instructions
Pastry
  1. In the bowl of a food processor, add the flour, salt, sugar and the black pepper, and pulse a few times to mix.
  2. Add the cold butter cubes and process until the butter is the size of peas and incorporated into the flour.
  3. Tip the flour butter mixture onto a clean counter.
  4. Add the sour cream to 3 tablespoons water and mix.
  5. Drizzle the liquid over the flour butter mixture.
  6. Using hands and a pastry scraper, mix the dough gently.
  7. Add more water if the dough is too dry and won't come together.
  8. It will be a little sticky but use the scraper and fold the dough onto itself,
  9. Keep repeating until the dough comes together.
  10. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a small rectangle and fold into letter trifold.
  11. Turn the dough and roll again into a rectangle and fold again.
  12. One more time and then wrap the dough and chill for at least an hour.
  13. When the dough has chilled, remove it from the fridge and roll it out.
  14. You can roll it in a circle or a rectangle like I did.
  15. Place the dough on a lightly floured counter to start and then on a piece of parchment to finish rolling.
  16. Roll out into a rectangle measuring 11" by 15" (28 cm x 38 cm)
  17. Fold an inch around the edges to make a rim about ½ inch high.
  18. Pierce with a fork all over the surface.
  19. Place on a baking sheet and chill for an hour or so.
  20. When ready to assemble tart, pre bake the tart shell.
  21. Preheat the oven to 375F/190C.
  22. Take out the chilled dough and line the top with foil or parchment and fill with beans or pie weights.
  23. Bake the dough for 20 minutes.
  24. After 20 minutes, remove the pie weights or beans and place the tart shell back in the oven.
  25. Bake for another 10 minutes to until the tart shell is lightly brown.
  26. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Filling and Topping
  1. Prepare the asparagus by trimming the bottom hard stalks.
  2. Bring a pan of water to boil, salt the water.
  3. Add the asparagus and blanch for about 8 minutes until tender but not mushy.
  4. Have a bowl of ice water ready to cool down the asparagus.
  5. Once cool, dry off the stalks and prepare the filling.
  6. In a bowl, mix the heavy cream, the eggs, salt and nutmeg,
  7. Pour the filling into the cooled tart shell.
  8. Add ⅔ of the shredded cheese over the custard.
  9. Place the asparagus on top of the custard and sprinkle the remaining cheese.
  10. Place in a 375F/190C oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the custard is set.
  11. Turn on the broiler for 2-3 minutes to brown the top of the tart.
  12. Serve warm or room temperature.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 6 Calories: 761 Fat: 57g Saturated fat: 35g Unsaturated fat: 18g Trans fat: 1g Carbohydrates: 47g Sugar: 3g Sodium: 600mg Fiber: 3g Protein: 17g Cholesterol: 227mg
Recipe by Coffee and Crumpets at http://www.coffeeandcrumpets.com/asparagus-and-emmentaler-tart/