asparagus and smoked salmon tartlets
Months and months ago I purchased in Lakeland a mini quiches perforated silicon baking tray. Guess who never used it until last week? That’s right! Yours truly! I don’t really know why I got out of the swing of baking quiches as I love them, particularly if the pastry is light and crispy. Anyway, I decided the time had come to resurrect the humble quiche and christen the tray so it so I plumped for these smoked salmon and asparagus tarts which I had never made before. You’ll be glad to know the baking tray was a resounding success. The pastry was cooked to perfection with no soggy bottoms. Of course you can make a whole quiche rather than 6 individual ones. But I thought the individual ones looked more professional. I shall definitely make them again, that’s for sure.
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE PASTRY
250 gr. plain flour
125 gr. butter
1 egg yolk
a few tablespoons cold water
FOR THE FILLING
24 asparagus spears (get rid of the woody bits of the stem)
100 gr smoked salmon (approx.)
3 large eggs
300 ml double cream (I shall have to try making a lighter version with perhaps half cream/half milk)
salt and pepper
METHOD
For the pastry: whizz the flour and the butter in a food processor. When it starts looking like crumbs add the yolk, whizz again and add enough cold water to bind it together. When you have a dough ball lift it out, wrap it in cling film and let it rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
In the meantime steam the asparagus tips until tender and beat the double cream, the eggs and the seasoning together.
Take the pastry out of the fridge, roll out and cut 6 circles of approx. 10-12 cm in diameter (depending on your baking tray). Place in the tray. Put some silicon paper in it, weigh it down with beans or ceramic balls and bake blind at 180 degrees for approx. 15 minutes. Take out the paper and the beans and bake for another 5 minutes. Then place some smoked salmon in the bottom of each and 4 asparagus spears. Fill with the cream and egg mixture. Put back in the oven and cook for approx. 20-25 minutes until golden at the top and still a bit wobbly. Enjoy!
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