ASPARAGUS TARTLETS

These light, summery tartlets are a dinner-party staple. The tangy Swiss Gruyère cheese goes perfectly with the fresh, green asparagus, while the puff pastry is pillowy and rich in butter.

Makes 4

1 sheet ready-rolled frozen puff pastry

100g (3½oz) fresh asparagus tips 90g (3¼oz) Gruyère cheese, grated

Take the pastry out of the freezer to defrost. While it’s coming to room temperature, prepare and cook the asparagus tips. I snip each stem into three pieces and griddle them for around 8 minutes with a little seasoning and olive oil. You’ll know the asparagus is ready when it’s juicy and tender, and has a slightly chargrilled look. Use tongs to remove the asparagus from the

pan, and reserve the cooking oil in the pan to brush the tart cases.

Once the pastry has defrosted, unroll it and use a sharp knife to divide it into four portions. Remove from the original paper, and space a few centimetres apart on a new piece of greaseproof paper laid on a baking sheet. Carefully draw a smaller rectangle around 1cm inside the edges of each tartlet, scoring but not cutting through the pastry.

This marks the inner area where the filling will go – the edges will puff up in the oven. Dip a pastry brush in the oil left in the pan and brush it over the pastry rectangles. Pile the cheese in even portions in the inner rectangle of each tartlet. Arrange the asparagus on top, splitting it equally between the tartlets. Place the tartlets in the fridge for 10 minutes to firm up.

While the tartlets are chilling, preheat the oven to 195°C/fan 175°C/gas 5½. Bake for 35 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed up and golden. Use a fish slice to take each one off the baking sheet. These tartlets make a delicious starter, served hot or cold with a few green leaves on the side.