From Canastota, New York, Mary Relyea shares this lovely tart. Its golden crust is filled with a delightfully light egg bake that includes asparagus spears and Gruyere cheese. Serve it as an impressive side dish or a meatless main course.
INGREDIENTS * 1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed * 3 cups water * Pastry for single-crust pie (9 inches) * 2/3 cup shredded Gruyere or Swiss cheese, divided * 1/2 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley * 4 eggs, lightly beaten * 3/4 cup half-and-half cream * 1/2 teaspoon salt * 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper * 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
SERVINGS 8 CATEGORY Main Dish METHOD Baked PREP 20 min. COOK 25 min. TOTAL 45 min.
DIRECTIONS Cut 2 in. from the top of each asparagus spear; set tops aside. Cut stem ends into 3/4-in. pieces. In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add the 3/4-in. asparagus pieces; cover and boil for 3-4 minutes. Drain and immediately place asparagus in ice water. Drain and pat dry. On a lightly floured surface, roll out pastry into a 13-in. circle. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of an ungreased 11-in. tart pan with removable bottom; trim edges. Place the blanched asparagus, 1/3 cup cheese and parsley in crust. In a small bowl, combine the eggs, cream, salt, cayenne and nutmeg; pour into crust. Arrange asparagus tops over egg mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 25-30 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting. Yield: 8 servings.
NUTRITIONAL INFO Nutrition Facts: 1 piece equals 233 calories, 15 g fat (7 g saturated fat), 132 mg cholesterol, 326 mg sodium, 16 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 8 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2-1/2 fat, 1 starch, 1 lean meat.
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**Some people are like slinkies - not really good for anything.....but they bring a smile to your face when pushed down the stairs!
