This week’s recipe from the Doolin Cottage is the Asparagus & St. Tola cheese tart.
You will need:
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- 2 echalion shallots, halved and finely sliced
- 2 large eggs
- 200ml cream
- 70g St. Tola Goat’s Cheese
- 20g tarragon, finely chopped
- 300g asparagus, woody ends removed and halved lengthways
For the pastry:
- 125g unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small cubes
- 250g plain flour
- 1 tsp lemon juice
Step 1: For the pastry, in a bowl, rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until the texture of breadcrumbs. Add a pinch of salt, the lemon juice, and just enough cold water to bring it together into a dough (about 6tbsp). Knead it for a few seconds, then wrap and chill for 15 minutes.
Step 2: Preheat the oven to 180 degrees, gas mark 4. Roll out the dough to a circle large enough to line a 23cm round tart tin. Use the pastry to line the tin, pressing it into corners. Leave the excess overhanging. Prick the base all over with a fork, line with baking parchment, and fill with baking beans; blind bake for 15 minutes. Remove the paper and beans; bake for 15 minutes.
Step 3: Meanwhile, heat the oil in a pan and sauté the shallots for 6-8 minutes, until light golden. Combine the eggs, cream, goat’s cheese and most of the tarragon in a jug. Stir in the shallots, season and mix well. Pour the egg mixture into the pastry case, then sit the asparagus on top. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until cooked through with no wobble. Rest for 10 minutes before scattering over the remaining tarragon to serve.
