Asparagus and Three-Cheese Tart

Asparagus combines beautifully with cheese. Serve this tart with a crisp pastry crust filled with asparagus tips, ricotta, parmigiano reggiano and feta for a lovely luncheon idea. Perfect with a crisp sauvignon blanc and a green salad.

Pastry

200 g	Flour (Main)
25 g	Parmigiano cheese, very finely grated
130 g	Butter, ice-cold and diced
3 Tbsp	Water

Filling

200 g	Cheese, fresh white cheese such as labne or ricotta (Main)
350 g	Asparagus spears, cut into 3-4cm lengths (Main)
1	Ground nutmeg, small amount
4	Eggs
1 to taste	Salt & freshly ground pepper
25 g	Parmigiano cheese, reggiano, grated
150 g	Feta, crumbly

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degC.
2. To make the pastry: place the flour, butter and parmigiano reggiano in a food processor and pulse together until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.
3. Pour the ice-cold water through the feed tube, with the motor running, until the crumbs moisten and start to draw together (this will take only a few seconds).
4. Turn the pastry out onto a clean bench and knead it to ensure it is smooth.
5. Roll out in a circle to fit a 24cm loose-bottomed flan tin. Place it in the tin and trim the edges neatly.
6. Crush a large piece of baking paper to soften so you can push it right into the corners, and then spread it out across the pastry case.
7. Fill with baking beans and bake blind for 15 minutes until the pastry is a very light sand colour.
8. Leaving the temperature at 180 degC, remove the baked case from the oven. Cool slightly.
9. To make the filling: blanch the asparagus in simmering salted water for 2-3 minutes, and immediately plunge into cold water to retain the fresh green colour.
10. In a bowl, beat the labne or other fresh white cheese with the eggs, nutmeg, salt and pepper until smooth.
11. Grate the parmigiano reggiano over the base of the baked pastry case. Crumble half the feta over this, then pour in the egg mixture.
12. Lay the asparagus pieces on top of this mixture, and finally top with the remaining feta.
13. Return the pie to the heated oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the mixture starts to turn golden.
14. Allow to stand a few minutes before ­serving with a fresh green salad.