Herby Asparagus Bacon Tart Recipes

BACON-ASPARAGUS TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line half sheet pan with parchment paper. Mix together 1 egg and heavy cream to make egg wash. Set aside.
• Roll out pastry on lightly floured surface to make a slightly larger rectangle. Using a sharp paring knife, gently score a 3/4" border, carefully cutting halfway through pastry. Using a fork, gently prick center area all over. This will prevent the middle from rising out of control. Brush border lightly with egg wash and bake 10 minutes. Transfer to cooling rack and let cool slightly. Reserve egg wash.
• Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until crispy. Remove bacon and drain, and reserve about 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat. Add the asparagus to pan and cook until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. (The asparagus will cook more in the oven).
• In a medium mixing bowl, combine ricotta, parmesan, gruyere, chives, remaining egg, remaining egg wash, and black pepper. Spread cheese mixture evenly across center of puff pastry, leaving 3/4" border. Evenly arrange asparagus across center of pastry. Lightly drizzle asparagus with olive oil and bake until pastry is golden brown and asparagus is fork tender, 25 minutes.
• Sprinkle with Maldon sea salt and serve immediately.

ASPARAGUS, BACON & SHALLOT TART

Steps:

• On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle; transfer to an 11-in. tart pan and press into edges. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400°. Prick crust with a fork 5 or 6 times; line with a double thickness of foil. Fill with pie weights, dried beans or uncooked rice. Bake on a lower oven rack until edge is light golden brown, 12-15 minutes. Remove foil and weights; bake until bottom is light golden brown, 4-5 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven setting to 375°., Trim tough ends from asparagus. Reserve 8 spears; cut remaining asparagus into 1/2-in. pieces., In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, 6-8 minutes; remove and drain. Add olive oil to skillet, then red onion, shallot and chopped asparagus; cook and stir until softened, 6-8 minutes. Stir in vinegar; cook 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Return bacon to pan; stir in tomatoes, parsley, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Spoon into crust., Whisk eggs and cream; stir in cheddar cheese until blended. Pour over top. Arrange reserved asparagus spears in a spoke pattern with tips facing outward. Sprinkle with Gruyere cheese. Bake until a knife inserted in center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

MASCARPONE, HAM, AND ASPARAGUS TART

Steps:

• To assemble tart, spread filling evenly into cooled crust. Top with asparagus-ham-arugula mixture and serve.

ASPARAGUS AND GRUYèRE TART

Steps:

• Make crust:
• Roll out pastry dough on a floured surface into a 15 1/2-inch round. Transfer to pizza pan by rolling dough around rolling pin and unrolling it across pan. Trim edge just enough to make even, then fold over and pinch to form a 1/2-inch-high, double-thick side. Prick bottom of shell all over with a fork and chill until firm, at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Line shell with foil and fill with pie weights or raw rice. Bake in middle of oven until sides are firm, about 20 minutes. Remove foil and weights carefully and bake shell until golden, about 10 minutes more, then cool.
• Prepare filling while shell cools:
• Layer asparagus on a steamer rack, sprinkling each layer with kosher salt to taste. Steam, covered, over boiling water until completely tender but not mushy, about 8 minutes for green asparagus or 12 for white, then transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking. Drain well and pat dry with paper towels.
• Whisk together cream, eggs, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and nutmeg, then season lightly with pepper. Pour custard evenly in tart shell.
• Top filling and bake tart:
• Sprinkle custard with two thirds of cheese, then arrange spears in custard, tips out (like the spokes of a wheel). Sprinkle remaining cheese over top.
• Bake tart in middle of oven until custard is set, about 20 minutes.
• Then broil tart 2 to 3 inches from heat until golden, 1 to 2 minutes.

ASPARAGUS, BASIL, & CREAM CHEESE TART WITH OPTIONAL BACON

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place thawed pastry on a lightly floured rolling space and, using a rolling iron, roll into a 10-inch by 14-inch rectangle.
• Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and carefully transfer the puff pastry to the baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit until cool, at least 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, add the cream cheese, onion, garlic, basil, salt, and pepper to a small bowl. Mix together with a fork. Set aside.
• Bring a large bot of water to a boil. Prepare a large bowl with cold water and ice. Add asparagus to the boiling water and cook for one minute. With tongs, lift the asparagus out of the boiling water and dunk in the ice water to help stop the cooking.
• Make a pile of 3 - 4 paper towels and move asparagus to the paper towels. Gently blot until dry. Add asparagus to a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Toss to coat.
• Spoon cream cheese onto cooled puff pastry crust. Spread to within 1/2 inch of the edge. Arrange asparagus on top of cream cheese layer. Sprinkle with a pinch or two of coarse salt, if desired.
• Return tart to oven and bake for about 10 minutes, until cream cheese is warm and asparagus is tender.
• If adding bacon, sprinkle it on after baking, or cut into squares and top individual squares if desired.

ASPARAGUS GOAT CHEESE TART WITH TARRAGON

Steps:

• On a lightly floured surface, roll out pastry into a 16-inch square and fit into an 11-inch tart pan with a removable fluted rim. Roll a rolling pin over top of tart to trim pastry flush with top of rim. Chill pastry shell while making filling.
• Preheat oven to 425°F. with a baking sheet on lowest rack.
• In a small skillet, cook scallions in butter with salt to taste over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 1 minute, and cool.
• In a steamer set over boiling water, arrange asparagus slices and top with reserved tips. Steam asparagus, covered, until crisp-tender, about 2 to 3 minutes, and drain well, reserving tips separately.
• In a blender, blend eggs, goat cheese, milk, and salt with pepper to taste. Add tarragon and pulse custard to combine.
• Spread scallions and asparagus slices in pastry shell and arrange reserved tips decoratively on top. Pour custard slowly over vegetables.
• Bake tart in pan on heated baking sheet in oven 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 375°F. and bake tart until set, about 8 minutes. Transfer tart in pan to a rack.
• Remove rim of pan and serve tart warm or at room temperature.

HERBY ASPARAGUS & BACON TART

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Roll out the pastry to about 15 x 30cm, the thickness of a £1 coin, and trim the edges. Transfer to a lightly floured baking tray. Score a 1cm border, making sure you don't go all the way through the base. Prick all over the base with a fork, brush the edges of the tart with beaten egg and bake for 15 mins.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small pan and fry the lardons until golden and crisp. Mix the ricotta, mascarpone, lemon zest, herbs and half the Parmesan in a bowl with salt and lots of black pepper.
• Remove tray from the oven, squash down centre of the tart and spread with cheese mixture. Scatter over the bacon, reserving the oil. Place asparagus along length of the tart, alternating direction of the tips. Brush with a little bacon oil, scatter over the remaining Parmesan and bake for 20 mins more. Serve warm.