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Serves: 4 individual tarts
INGREDIENTS
- 60gm Pancetta Slices
- 24 Thin Asparagus Spears – cut into 5cm lengths.
- As Required – Canola Spray Oil
- 4 x 14cm diameter circles Frozen Puff Pastry – thaw.
- 150ml Thickened Cream
- 2 Eggs – crack and beat.
- 30gm Goat’s Cheese – crumble, warm to room temperature.15gm Parmesan Cheese – finely grate.
- ⅓ bunch Chives – rinse, drain and finely slice.
- To Taste – Sea Salt and Finely Ground Black Pepper
- ½ Lemon – rinse and finely zest.
- 10gm Parmesan Cheese – finely shave.
- ¼ bunch Chives – rinse, drain and finely slice.
METHOD
- Pre-heat an oven to a moderate temperature – 160°C.
- Lay the pancetta slices in a single layer on a roasting tray. Place the tray in the oven and bake for 10 minutes or until it is golden brown and crisp. Remove from the oven, allow the pancetta to cool, then roughly crumble and set to one side.
- Over a moderate heat, bring a saucepan ¾ filled with water to the boil. Add the asparagus spears, bring the water back to the boil and allow them to cook for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat, drain, refresh under cold running water, drain again and set to one side.
- Lightly spray oil 4 x 10cm diameter and 2cm high, loose base tart trays.
- Lay 1 piece of pastry on each tart tray, gently pushing it into the base and sides of each one, folding any excess pastry over the rim of the tart tray. Using a sharp knife, trim off any overhanging pastry. Place the tart trays into a refrigerator to firm up.
- In a mixing bowl, add the cream, eggs, goat’s cheese, the first quantity of parmesan cheese, and the first quantity of chives, then mix to combine and lightly season to taste.
- Remove the tart trays from the refrigerator and evenly distribute the egg mixture between each one.
- Top each tart with 6 spears of asparagus and evenly sprinkle each with the crumbled pancetta. Place the tarts in the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until cooked through and the egg mixture and pastry are golden in colour. Then, remove from the oven and set to one side for 10 minutes to cool a little and firm up.
TO SERVE
Carefully remove each baked asparagus, goat’s cheese and pancetta tart from its tray and evenly top each with lemon zest, the second quantity of parmesan cheese and the second quantity of chives and serve immediately.
