Asparagus Tart

Yield:
Serves 8

Ingredients:

  1. 1 pastry for 9-inch pie, homemade or refrigerated crust
  2. 1 lb. asparagus, cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces
  3. 1 cup Jarlsberg Swiss cheese, shredded
  4. 3 tablespoons pimiento strips
  5. 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  6. 1/2 teaspoon salt
  7. 1 pinch black pepper
  8. 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
  9. 3 eggs, slightly beaten
  10. 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Directions:

Line 11-inch round fluted tart pan with pastry; trim pastry even with top of pan and prick with fork. Bake tart shell in preheated 450-degree oven for 10 minutes or just until lightly browned.

Meanwhile, cook asparagus in boiling salted water just until crisp-tender; drain thoroughly. Remove baked shell from oven and reduce temperature to 375 degrees. Sprinkle shell with Jarlsberg cheese; top with well-drained asparagus and pimiento.

In medium bowl, combine cornstarch, salt and black pepper; gradually stir in half-and-half and mix until smooth. Stir in eggs and Parmesan cheese until well-blended; pour mixture into tart shell over asparagus.

Bake 35-50 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.


TDS 3