Bacon & Asparagus Tart

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Bacon and asparagus tart

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Ingredients

• 4 rashers Edwards of Conwy dry cure smoked bacon chopped into 1” squares
• 375 g ready-rolled puff pastry sheet
• 100 g French goat cheese with rind cut into ½ cm slices
• 100 ml full-fat crème fraîche
• 50 g Welsh cheddar grated
• 1 medium free-range egg beaten
• 100 g purple-sprouting broccoli
• 1 spring onion finely sliced
• 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme leaves only
• 15 g pine nuts
• 1.5 tbsp lavender honey

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 180°C/ 356°F/ gas mark 4 or 160°C/ 320°F/ gas mark 3 for fan-assisted oven
2. Grease and line a rectangular baking tray with baking parchment paper. 
3. Remove the ready-rolled pastry from its box and lay it out flat inside the baking tray. Use the pastry brush to line the outer edges with a thin coating of beaten egg. Fold each side of the pastry over and inwards on itself by around 1cm. Tuck each corner in to ensure it doesn’t overlap onto the adjacent side, similar to how you might neatly gift-wrap a present. 
4. Using a spatula, spread the crème fraîche over the pastry in an even layer. 
5. Sprinkle the grated cheddar cheese over the layer of crème fraîche. 
6. Remove the florets from the broccoli, break them into bite-size chunks and intersperse them over the grated cheese. 
7. Disperse the spring onion and red onion across the tart. Aim to ensure they’re somewhat submerged in the crème fraîche so they don’t end up getting burnt during cooking.
8. Remove any woody ends from the asparagus tips and arrange them down the centre of the tart in zig-zagging diagonals, as pictured. 
9. Place the chopped bacon pieces at regular intervals across the tart, avoiding overlapping the asparagus. 
10. Dot the goat cheese slices over the tart, again avoiding the asparagus tips. 
11. Drizzle the honey all over the tart, before scattering the pine nuts and thyme leaves over to finish.
12. Brush the remaining egg wash over the outer edge of the tart, and carefully transfer to the top shelf of the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, until the crust has turned a deep golden brown and the topping is slightly charred. 
13. Cut the tart into squares and serve hot or cold, teamed with a crisp side salad. 

Notes

• My baking tray measures 38cm by 27cm and this is perfectly proportioned for the ready-rolled puff pastry, but you could use a smaller tray; you’d just need to cut the pastry to size.
• Experiment with different kinds of cheeses to find out what you prefer. I’ve also made this tart with Gorgonzola, but it was a little too overpowering for my liking.
• Similarly, don’t be scared to play around with veg combinations. Leeks also work well on this tart (although you might need to cut down on the spring onions and broccoli to make room for them).
• You can use regular honey if you can’t find lavender honey, but the latter gives the tart a pleasant savoury/sweet flavour combination and really complements the goat cheese.
• If you prefer a creamier, more indulgent tart, use a touch more crème fraîche. I’ve also tried using double cream, but this was a little too heavy.
• This tart will keep fresh for up to 2 days in the fridge (if it lasts that long!) and although I don’t recommend reheating it, it tastes just as delicious cold and works particularly well as a lunchbox treat.

View more photos of this dish and further information about the recipe here.

bon appetit