SPRING VEGETABLE TART

serves 4
1 sheet frozen puff pastry,
about 1⁄2 lb (250 g), thawed
1 cup (4 oz/125 g) shredded fontina cheese
15–20 thin asparagus spears, ends trimmed
1 small leek, white part only,
halved and thinly sliced
2 eggs
1⁄4 cup (2 fl oz/60 ml) whole milk
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a
baking sheet with parchment paper. Lay
the puff pastry on the prepared sheet. Fold
over the sides to make a 1-inch (2.5-cm) rim,
overlapping the pastry at the corners and
pressing it lightly. Inside the rim, prick the
pastry all over with a fork.
Sprinkle half of the cheese over the bottom
of the pastry inside the rim. Top with the
asparagus, laying the spears vertically in a
row from one side of the pastry to the other.
Sprinkle the leeks over the asparagus. Bake
for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a bowl, beat the eggs, milk,
1⁄2 tsp salt, and several grinds of pepper
until well combined. Remove the pastry
from the oven. Pour the egg mixture evenly
over the asparagus and leeks and sprinkle
on the remaining cheese. Bake until the
pastry is puffed and golden brown, about
10 minutes. Let the tart stand for 10 minutes
before serving.