Asparagus Tart with Prosciutto and Fontina
This lovely Italian-inspired Asparagus Tart with Prosciutto and Fontina is how to turn a spring breakfast, brunch or special occasion into amazing! Make your own crust or make it easy with purchased pie crust.
Servings: 6 -8
Equipment
Ingredients
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 1 prepared pie crust for 9-inch pan
- 3 ounces prosciutto approximately 6 slices, chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium shallot finely chopped (approximately 1/2 cup)
- 8 ounces thin asparagus tough ends trimmed, cut in half crosswise plus 5 more for garnish
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup (heaping) shredded Fontina cheese approximately 4-5 ounces
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 1 cup half-and-half or whole milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom with cooking spray.
- Place the pie crust in the prepared tart pan and fold the excess down into the pan and press it into the rim of the tart pan to form a neat crust. Place on a baking sheet.
- Place a piece of parchment paper over the dough and fill with pie weights. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until the crust is baked but not browned. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool.
- Meanwhile, heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the prosciutto, reduce heat to medium and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until any fat is rendered off and the prosciutto is just lightly browned but not crisp. Transfer to a plate to cool.
- Heat olive oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallot, reduce heat to medium and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until beginning to soften. Add the cut (halved) asparagus and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add 1 tablespoon water and continue cooking for 1 more minute or until the water has evaporated and asparagus is bright green. Season with a pinch of salt and black pepper. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the bottom of the baked crust.
- Combine prosciutto, asparagus and Fontina cheese (either in the skillet used to cook everything after it has cooled or in a bowl). Transfer to the prepared crust and evenly distribute everything, pressing it down into the crust so the top is level.
- Whisk together eggs and half-and-half (or milk). Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and black pepper. Pour custard mixture over asparagus mixture. Top with the 5 raw pieces of asparagus.
- Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees. Bake another 30 to 40 minutes or until set and top is just beginning to brown.
- Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove the pan sides and cut into wedges. Serve hot, warm or room temperature.
Notes
SUBSTITUTIONS:
- Monterey jack makes a great substitute because it melts nicely as does Gruyere.
- Regular ham works well in place of the prosciutto.
- Can use broccoli instead of asparagus.
- Buying expensive pie weights to weigh the crust down is unnecessary when blind baking. Use expired rice, lentils or beans but be sure to not try to cook them afterward. Place it in a separate area of your kitchen and reuse it as often as you like.
- No parchment paper? No problem. You can also use nonstick aluminum foil. With aluminum foil, you can even get away with not using weights. Simply shape the aluminum foil to the tart pan then fold it carefully over the edge of the dough. Heavy-duty aluminum foil works the best.
- Cut into individual pieces as desired. Reheat at 350 degrees until heated through.
- Cool thoroughly and place the entire tart in a freezer bag or cut into pieces as desired and place in freezer containers and freeze until needed.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 471kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 136mg | Sodium: 656mg | Potassium: 252mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 928IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 351mg | Iron: 2mg