This asparagus and pecorino tart is a vegetarian recipe born out of a chain of fortunate events, starting with finding the right ingredients. Yes, here in the Netherlands green asparagus are uncommon and expensive compared to white asparagus, which are grown locally and are usually a bit cheaper.
So as soon as I found green asparagus on sale I bought them, but what to make? The first thing that came to mind was a quiche.
However, my quiches are made with phyllo pastry, which I didn’t have at home, so in the end I prepared this tart which is essentially a crustless quiche and both the Dutchman and I were very pleased. It turned out delicious!
The preparation is incredibly easy. The result is a very flavorful and soft tart, a truly delicious vegetarian main course — I recommend it. Let’s make it.
My light quiches on the blog are here:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Cooking time: 35 Minutes
- Portions: 3 or 4
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Healthy
- Seasonality: Spring, Easter
Ingredients
- 6 eggs (medium)
- 9 oz asparagus
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano (grated)
- 1 onion
- 1 tbsp breadcrumbs (about 1 tablespoon)
- to taste basil
- to taste salt and pepper
- Points per serving (divided into 3 slices) = 6 WW points
- Points per serving (divided into 4 slices) = 5 WW points
Preparation
First, slice the onion and soak it in cold water to soften its strong flavor a little.
If the asparagus are tender you can simply snap off the lower hard end of the stalks and wash them. If they seem very woody (mine were), use a vegetable peeler to remove the outer layer of the stalk and cut off the tougher base.
Boil them whole in salted water for just 5 minutes. Then drain them gently so as not to damage the tips.
Cut 3 asparagus spears — the slightly thicker ones — lengthwise and set them aside. Cut all the others into pieces about 1/4 inch thick.
Pour half a teaspoon of oil into a small plate and use a brush to grease a 22 cm pan well (about a 9-inch pan).
Put 1 tablespoon of breadcrumbs in a small bowl and use some to coat the inside of the oiled pan.
Break the eggs into a bowl and add a little salt (the pecorino is already quite salty), pepper if you like, and coarsely chopped basil.
Also add the grated pecorino and the well-drained onion, and whisk everything well.
At this point add the chopped asparagus and mix gently.
Pour the mixture of eggs, asparagus and pecorino into the pan.
Arrange the lengthwise asparagus spears you set aside earlier on top to make the tart look nicer.
Sprinkle the remaining breadcrumbs over the entire surface and bake at 175°C (about 347°F) for 30 minutes.
I use a convection (fan) oven; for a conventional oven bake 20 minutes at 180°C (about 356°F) and then another 10 minutes at 200°C (about 392°F) to brown the surface.
Remove from the oven and let cool well before unmolding and transferring to the serving plate.
Slice and serve with green salad, tomato salad, or many other sides as you prefer. Add some bread or croutons and you’ll have a complete meal.
The asparagus and pecorino tart is very versatile: a great main course for those on a diet or not, but also tasty as an appetizer for celebrations. Delicious hot or cold, so it’s perfect for takeaway or for a picnic.
Let me know if you make it and if you liked it — leave a comment below the recipe or on Facebook.
Enjoy your meal!
by Giovanna Buono
