Asparagus, Spring Onion and Fontina Tart

Recipe by From a Chef's Kitchen

Asparagus, Spring Onion and Fontina Tart is as fresh and beautiful as spring itself! Fresh asparagus sits atop a bed of melty spring onions and fontina cheese on a puff pastry crust.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil ((divided))
• 1 bunch spring onions ((usually 3 onions) white and light green part only, halved and thinly sliced )
• water (as needed)
• salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
• 16 thin asparagus spears (as needed to fill the top of the tart)
• all-purpose flour for rolling out pastry
• 1 sheet puff pastry (from a 2-sheet package)
• 4 ounces Fontina cheese (shredded)
• zest of large lemon
• good balsamic vinegar

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Heat butter and oil over medium-high heat. Add onions, reduce heat to low and cook 12-15 minutes or until very soft but not browned. Add water as necessary to prevent browning. (Be sure all water has evaporated before placing on tart.) Season onions with salt and black pepper.
3. While the onions are cooking, bring a small saucepan of salted water to a boil. Prepare an ice bath. Cook the asparagus very briefly (10 seconds or until bright green). Immediately immerse in ice water. Drain and blot dry with paper towels.
4. On a lightly floured surface, roll out pastry to smooth and correct the folds. Score the pastry all the way around about 1-inch from the edge being careful to not cut all the way through. Dock the interior in several places with a fork. (Do not dock outside of the scored area.) Place on a piece of parchment paper. Bake for 12-13 minutes or until lightly browned. Allow to cool at least 10 minutes.
5. Spread shredded cheese over the interior of the crust. Top with onions then asparagus, pressing asparagus down gently into the cheese and onions.
6. Return to oven, bake 12-14 minutes or until crust is golden and cheese has melted.
7. To serve, sprinkle with lemon zest and drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Cut into quarters.

View the recipe instructions at From a Chef's Kitchen