Asparagus Parmesan Tart

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Photo Courtesy of MarthaStewart.com

Fresh asparagus is showing up in the market these days.  It looked so good the other day that I picked up a bundle.  Thumbing through a couple of cookbooks (see old post), I came across this tasty looking recipe for a tart.  It seemed like the perfect addition to the roasted chicken thighs and saffron rice being served that evening.

Asparagus - Parmesan Tart
From Martha Stewart's Dinner at Home 
(Recipe and Video also available here)

1 sheet (14 ounces) frozen puff pastry, thawed
All-purpose flour, for dusting
1 large egg, well beaten
10 medium asparagus spears, tough ends trimmed, shaved into thin strips using a vegetable peeler
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll out dough on a lightly floured work surface, just until creases are smooth. Trim dough to a 10-inch square. Lightly score a 1/2-inch border around dough. Brush off excess flour and transfer dough to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze 15 minutes.

2.Brush border of dough with the beaten egg. Bake until puffed and starting to brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Toss asparagus with the oil, and season with salt and pepper.

3.Remove tart shell from oven and press down on the center with a spatula. Arrange asparagus on top. Bake until asparagus is crisp-tender, about 8 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle cheese evenly on top. Bake until cheese is melted, about 4 minutes more. Let cool on a wire rack 5 minutes before slicing into squares.  Deb's Tip:  Use a pizza cutter to slice tart into squares.

I can't wait for those little flowery asparagus heads to pop through the soil in our garden.  It is amazing when freshly picked and served the same day!

4/21/11 Update:  Linking up to