Recipes

Ingredients:
For the pastry dough
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons of butter (cut into small pieces)
1 small egg

For the filling
4 ounces thin asparagus stalks
salt and pepper
4 eggs
2 tablespoons light cream
1 tablespoon finely grated Parmesan or sharp cheddar cheese
grated nutmg

1. To make the dough, place the flour in a food processor. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add the egg and work briefly to form a dough. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead briefly. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes

2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cut the asparagus into 2 inch pieces. Bring a large pan of salted water to boil. Add the asparagus and cook for 5 minutes, drain and cool quickly in cold water.

3. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll out each piece and use to line four 4-inch tartlet pans. (You can find tartlet pans anywhere and you can get them for a dollar or something each. In the above photo the pan at the back is tartlet pan). Trim off the excess dough with a sharp knife. set the pans on a cookie sheet. Line each dough shell with a circle of foil and half fill with baking beans or uncooked rice. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Remove the paper and beans and bake for 3-4 minutes longer, until the pastry is crisp and light golden.

4. Divide the asparagus among the tartlets, then break an egg into each. Drizzle the cream over and sprinkle with the grated cheese, a little nutmeg, and salt and papper. Return to the oven for 5-8 minutes, until the egg is just set and the top lightly browned.

5. Serve warm or cold.