I love easy recipes that look amazing and taste complex, like this Asparagus Pancetta Tart. The refrigerated Pillsbury pie crust is a huge time saver, and the combination of asparagus, pancetta, and gruyère is sophisticated and delicious.
Note: If you’d like to make your own crust, we recommend Mom’s Never Fail Pie Crust.
You can pull this tart together and get it into the oven in under 1/2 hour, and best of all, it tastes even better than it looks. You will need a 9.5″ tart pan with a removable bottom for this recipe. I really like this non-stick tart pan from BonJour Bakeware.
Asparagus Pancetta Tart
Ingredients
- 1 – 9" Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust (or homemade)
- 1 large egg white, slightly beaten
- 4 oz. pancetta, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1 cup fresh asparagus tips
- 1/2 green onion, thinly sliced
- 5 large eggs
- 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups shredded gryuyère cheese
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Butter and flour (or spray with non-stick baking spray) a 9″ tart pan with a removable bottom. Lay out the pie dough in the pan, pressing down and into the sides. Trim off any excess dough from the edges.
- Prick the dough with the tines of a fork and then brush the bottom and sides with egg white.
- Place the tart on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, until the egg white is set. Set aside to cool for at least 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook the pancetta in a skillet over medium-high heat until crispy. Drain on a paper towel and set aside.
- While the pancetta is cooking, place the asparagus tips in a microwave safe dish and cover with water. Microwave on high for 2 to 3 minutes until the asparagus is crisp tender. (Or, blanch in boiling water for 1 minute on the stove). Drain asparagus and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and mascarpone until well combined. Stir in the green onion, pancetta and shredded gryuyère.
- Pour the egg mixture into the tart shell. Decorate the top with the blanched asparagus spears.
- Bake for approximately 20 minutes until the top is browned and the center is set.
- Cool tart for at least 5 minutes, then remove from the pan. Serve warm, or at room temperature.
- If made ahead, tart can be reheated in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes on a baking sheet.
