Asparagus and Gruyere Tart

By CindyBrown

Ingredients

• 1 sheet defrosted Puff Pastry
• 2 cups (abt 5 1/2 oz) shredded Gruyère cheese (Fontina works too)
• 1 1/2 lbs medium to thick asparagus spears
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt & pepper
• flour, for work surface
• parchment paper

Preparation

Step 1

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. On a floured parchment paper, roll out the puff pastry to about 16×10 inches. Trim any uneven edges and move the whole thing, parchment and all to a cookie sheet. With a sharp knife lightly score the dough about an inch from the edge all the way around (don’t cut through it, just leave an impression of a line). Use a fork and pierce the dough inside the marking at 1/2 inch intervals. Bake 15 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven. Its going to be a little puffy but don’t worry it will deflate itself over the next couple minutes.

2. Cut about 1 1/2 inches off the bottoms of the asparagus spears making sure they will fit inside the tart shell. Sprinkle the cooked pastry with cheese and arrange the asparagus in a single layer on top. Brush with olive oil and season with salt & pepper. Bake 20-25 minutes or until cheese is completely melted, the asparagus is tender when pierced and the pastry is a rich golden brown. Remove and serve immediately.