Asparagus, Leek and Pea Tart
This is a great tart for your vegetarian friends. Its hearty enough for meat eaters like me to feel completely satisfied but also completely friendly to vegetable lovers. I used a shortcrust pastry but a puff works wonderfully too. Just make sure to blind bake it with lots of beans in to stop the base from puffing up!
What you'll need
1 quantity of Shortcrust Pastry (or Puff), for ease I tend to buy it, but making it is very easy in a processor too. The Julia Child version is my go to (after it was recommended to me).
1 packet of Fresh Peas
2 Leeks, finely sliced
1 bunch of Asparagus, I prefer the miniature kind in tarts but both are yummy
A couple of sprigs of Fresh Thyme, finely chopped
3 cloves of Garlic, crushed
1 cup of finely grated Parmesan
Salt and Pepper
2 Eggs
1/2 Cup Double Cream
1/2 Cup Creme Fraiche (or Sour Cream)
- Roll out the Pastry and fill a tart case. Prick the bottom and fill with parchment paper and then baking beans. Blind bake until beginning to golden at 180oC.
- Slice leeks and crush garlic, slowly saute in a pan on a very low heat with butter until melting and soft. Don’t allow them to catch at all.
- Blanch the asparagus, by which I mean literally drop them into boiling water for 20 seconds. You don’t want to cook them just begin too.
- Then mix the custard. Simply mix all the wet ingredients together until smooth and then add in the Parmesan and salt and pepper to taste.
- Fill the pastry case with the asparagus, leeks and peas, then pour over the custard.
- Now bake the tart for 30 to 40 minutes at 160oC.
- It is ready when there is a very little wobble and the tops have caught just a little and begun to golden (as in the pictures above).
