Asparagus Tart with chives, bacon, and goat cheese

Crisp spring time asparagus, both baked and lightly sautéed, comes front and center in this simple goat cheese and chive tart studded with crisp bacon bits. Get your spring greens on!

I admit I cheated and bought asparagus before it became available at the farmers’ market. It was almost local and a welcome change from all the winter vegetables but perhaps I should have waited. Perhaps that first crisp bite of farm fresh asparagus would have been sweeter if I hadn’t had the other just the week before. And perhaps I should have gone for a long morning walk instead of watching an episode of Foyle’s War on Netflix. And perhaps I should have already planted the peas in the garden. Perhaps so many things but this is not the time for regrets this is spring time and the peas will still grow if I plant them today and the joy of finding new spring vegetables at the farmers market was subtle but lingering and the thrill of knowing that next week there will be even more. I can hardly wait to eat my fill of asparagus, to sate the craving, to grill and gratify and take in the sun.

A few notes on the asparagus

To peel or not to peel? To snap or not to snap? To each his own I say.

Thin asparagus I like to snap, waste be damned. I really don’t like biting into asparagus discovering it’s part twig,

Thick I usually trim off the very ends and then peel off the lighter, thicker skin at the base.

This particular batch was mostly quite thick with a few thinner spears interspersed throughout. It was also just picked and so needed only the smallest amount of trimming. It was also so fresh that I couldn’t bear to bake it all into submission ultimately decided to reserve a few stalks to shave into strips and put on top.

I was inspired to shave the asparagus by this recipe on the smittenkitchen

asparagus tart with chives, bacon, and goat cheese

ingredients

• 3 strips of thick cut bacon chopped and cooked ‘til crisp (reserve the pan with just a bit of the bacon grease)
• 5 ounces goat cheese
• 3 large eggs
• 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup milk (or half and half or cream)
• 1/4-1/2 cup minced chives
• One bunch of asparagus, woody bits removed: One cup (or three fat stalks) cut into one inch pieces, one cup (or three fat stalks) shaved, and the remained to place on top in a decorative fashion.
• One batch flaky pastry crust

 directions

1. Prepare crust, roll out and place in a tart pan or pie plate. Put in the freezer until ready to fill.
2. Preheat oven to 375
3. Combine all ingredients except asparagus and enough of the chives to garnish into a large bowl and whisk until the eggs and cheese are well incorporated not fretting if some bits of goat cheese remain autonomous.
4. Chop three thick stalks (about a cup) of asparagus into one inch pieces and add to the egg and cheese mixture.
5. Pour the egg mixture into the prepared crust and then top with the longer asparagus spears.
6. Bake for about 45 minutes until the center is set and the crust is golden brown.
7. While the tart is cooling sauté the shaved asparagus in the pan you cooked the bacon for a minute or two until just bendy. Add black pepper to taste.
8. Top the tart with the shaved asparagus, the remaining chives, and some fresh grated parmesan.
9. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Asparagus Asparagus and Asparagus Tart (with chives)

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Ingredients

  

• 3 strips of thick cut bacon chopped and cooked ‘til crisp reserve the pan with just a bit of the bacon grease
• 5 ounces goat cheese
• 3 large eggs
• 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup milk or half and half or cream
• 1/4-1/2 cup minced chives
• One bunch of asparagus woody bits removed: One cup (or three fat stalks) cut into one inch pieces, one cup (or three fat stalks) shaved, and the remained to place on top in a decorative fashion.
• One batch flaky pastry crust

Instructions

 

• Prepare crust, roll out and place in a tart pan or pie plate. Put in the freezer until ready to fill.
• Preheat oven to 375
• Combine all ingredients except asparagus and enough of the chives to garnish into a large bowl and whisk until the eggs and cheese are well incorporated not fretting if some bits of goat cheese remain autonomous.
• Chop three thick stalks (about a cup) of asparagus into one inch pieces and add to the egg and cheese mixture.
• Pour the egg mixture into the prepared crust and then top with the longer asparagus spears.
• Bake for about 45 minutes until the center is set and the crust is golden brown.
• While the tart is cooling sauté the shaved asparagus in the pan you cooked the bacon for a minute or two until just bendy. Add black pepper to taste.
• Top the tart with the shaved asparagus, the remaining chives, and some fresh grated parmesan.
• Serve warm or at room temperature.

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