Spring is in full blown now and its the perfect time to make something which is fitting to the fresh smell which is filling the air here in Beijing. My two organic suppliers E&L Healthy and iorganic send white and green asparagus to me last week and I had to make something else than the ordinary German dish. You know, when you cook the asparagus and cover it with a creamy sauce hollandaise? But this time I tried much more variations, much healthier since I’m with Weight Watchers now. Today I’ll show you a tart recipe which is low in calories.
Ingredients
Tart Crust:
200 g all purpose flour
100 g butter (or fat reduced margarine)
1 egg yolk
2 tbsp water
1 tsp herbal salt
Filling:
200 g asparagus, white
200 g asparagus, green
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 bunch spring onions
1 pinch of salt
1 pinch of pepper
200 g cream cheese (reduced fat if available)
3 eggs
150 ml milk (1,5% fat)
1 tsp pink pepper berries
1 pinch of grated lemon zest
You can change the filling in different ways. Try ricotta, sour cream or a mix of heavy cream. There is also an variety of herbs you can try… chives, parsley, mint, basil, thyme.
Directions
Heat up the oven to 200°C. Cut 95 g cold butter into small cubes. Knead the flour with the butter, egg yolk, water and herbal salt to a smooth dough and roll it out between two layers of wrapping foil in a round shape.
Grease the tart pan (Ø 28 cm). Then, I take the foil and and ease the round into a tart pan, patting it firmly into the bottom and up the sides. Carefully remove the foil. Extend the dough slightly above the rim to compensate for any shrinkage during baking (around 2 cm). Bake the tart shell for 10 minutes.
Wash the green asparagus and cut the lower dry part. Peel the white Asparagus, cut the dry part and cut both asparagus in slices (see Pictures). Roast the asparagus pieces in hot olive oil for 3-4 minutes.
Wash the spring onions and slice them. Mix them with the asparagus when you place them on the tart.
Combine the cream cheese with eggs, milk, pink pepper berries and some lemon zest. Stir it and add some salt and pepper. Pimp it with some fresh herbs. Pour the egg matter over the asparagus into the tart pan.
Bake the tart for around 30 minutes in the middle of the oven. And serve when it looks a bit golden and brown.
Enjoy your fresh spring dish!
*note: You can see I baked my tart with an ordinary baking pan, which works as well. My tart pan is still at my friends place where I forgot it last week, probably after having to much strawberry tart with her.
cutted and roasted asparagus pieces ready for baking finished asparagus tart
