Recipes

CREAMY ASPARAGUS, SPINACH, HERB & GOAT'S CHEESE TART

Posted On: 2024-09-13 12:56:01

INGREDIENTS:

Wholemeal herb pastry:

225g wholemeal flour

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme and/or rosemary

1 small clove garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon salt

125g cold butter, cubed

Filling:

1 bunch (10–12) spears of asparagus, tough ends trimmed

100g spinach, chopped

3 large free-range eggs

200g sour cream or crème fraîche

½ cup cream or full cream milk

100–125g soft goats cheese or feta

1–1 ¼ cups mixed chopped soft herbs (e.g. chives, parsley, tarragon, dill, chervil)

finely grated zest of ½ lemon

2 teaspoons lemon juice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a 27–28cm fluted tart tin with butter or oil. Bring a kettle of water to the boil.

To make the pastry, place ingredients in a food processor and blitz until crumbly then, with the motor still running, drizzle in 2–3 tablespoons of cold water until mixture holds together when pressed between your fingers. Alternatively, if you don't have a food processor, rub butter in with your fingertips until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs, then add 2–3 tablespoons water and mix to a firm dough. Use your hands to bring dough together into a big ball, wrap in clingfilm and allow to rest on the bench for 15 minutes while you start preparing the filling.

Place asparagus and spinach in a large heatproof bowl or dish and cover with boiling water, leave for 1–2 minutes then drain. When cool enough to handle, use your hands to squeeze out as much excess water from the spinach as you can, then finely chop.

On a clean, dry, lightly floured surface (or on a sheet of baking paper), roll out the pastry and use to line the base and up the sides of the greased tin. Don’t worry if the pastry tears a little in places; just press and patch it back together. Refrigerate for 5 minutes or so. Bake for 12–15 minutes until lightly browned. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

Whisk eggs, sour cream/crème fraîche and cream/milk together until smooth. Finely crumble in goats cheese/feta. Add herbs, lemon zest and juice, and spinach. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Pour filling into pastry crust and arrange asparagus spears on top, pushing down to slightly submerge in the filling. Bake for 20–25 minutes or until just set. Leave to stand for at least 15 minutes before removing from tin. Cut into six slices and serve with salad and tomato relish or chutney.

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