Asparagus and Spud Tart Phwoarness

It’s been over a year now since I started this blog, and I’m back where I started with Asparagus and Jamie At Home!

This is the first proper thing I’ve made since returning back from SXSW in Austin, Texas. My ma cooked for me yesterday (lovely leg of lamb) and we had our friend Ben staying with us last week who beat me to the kitchen every night. Which I was realllly not pleased about. Shee-ah! It was amazing.

I had a couple of spare hours today while I was listening through tracks for my show this week on 2xm. I had some asparagus in the fridge so I set to work on this here tart. I was super pleased with the results. I ate half of the whole tart, so pleased was I. Feeling pretty carbed out of it right about now.

I adapted this from a recipe in Jamie At Home. I used puff pastry instead of Filo, as required in the original recipe. I also added some yummy Serrano Ham. The original recipe’s measurements made enough filling for two tarts, using one sheet of ready-to-roll pastry for each tart. I did actually make two tarts, so I’ll have it for lunch tomorrow too.

However, below I’ve halved the original measurements, so this should be enough for just one tart.

What you need for an Asparagus, Serrano & Potato Tart

250g asparagus, woody end bits removed

250g potatoes, peeled and chopped into chunks

100g good Cheddar Cheese, grated

200g ready to roll puff pastry (one sheet!) fully defrosted

2 free range eggs

140 ml double cream

1/8 of a whole nutmeg grated

Get started by boiling your spuds for 15 minutes in salted water.

Meanwhile, grate your cheese into a biggish bowl.

In another bowl – a properly big one this time – mix together the egg and cream.

Pre-heat your oven to 190 degrees C/gas mark 5. Choose a good baking dish or sheet for your tart. Roll out your pastry and pinch the edges of the sheet in to make a walled rectangle for your filling.

When your spuds are ready, drain and mash. Then add your mash to your grated cheese and mix well. Don’t worry if it goes gluey.

Now mix your cheesy mash with your cream and egg mixture. Don’t worry if it goes lumpy! Add the nutmeg and a bit of black pepper.

Now blanch your asparagus in boiling water for four minutes. Drain in a colander.

Pour your cheesey mash mixture into your pastry base. Take your asparagus and wrap in bits of Serrano. Place the asparagus any way you like on the top of the tart.

Place in the oven and bake for around 20 minutes, until lovely and golden. The mixture will rise a bit – just pop it with a knife and it will deflate a bit.

Eat it all up with a bit of side salad and a sneaky glass of Bank Holiday vino.

TUNE

I was listening to my new favourite song, I Think I Like U 2 by Jamaica as I was cooking up this tart. Head to the link below for the song on the Hype Machine.

I Think I Like U 2 - Jamaica (The Hype Machine)