Tarta de Grana Padano con huevos y espárragos

Effort: medium Time: 1 hour and 40 minutes.

Ingredients and method for 6 people

Combine 250g of flour with 100g of softened butter, working it in with your fingertips; add a pinch of salt and 40g of grated Grana Padano, then knead with an egg yolk and 50ml of cold water until smooth. Cover and let it rest in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Clean 500g of asparagus with a paring knife; break them to remove the tough end of the stem. Remove the stems, peeling them and keeping only the hearts. Cut the tips into lengths of about 8cm and set aside. Slice the hearts and stems of the asparagus into rounds and cook them in a saucepan covered with a knob of butter, a pinch of salt, and a ladle of water, for 15-20 minutes. Blend the asparagus slices into a cream using an immersion blender. Roll out the dough to a thickness of about 5mm; Line a buttered and floured rectangular baking pan (10x24.5 cm); trim off any excess pastry. Prick the bottom with a fork and bake at 180°C (350°F) for about 25 minutes. Blanch the asparagus tips in boiling salted water for 5 minutes, then cool them in ice water. Drain them and arrange them side by side on a baking sheet, sprinkle with knobs of butter and grated Grana Padano; bake at 180°C (350°F) until they are nicely browned. Beat 4 eggs with 4 tablespoons of cream and cook them in a pan with a small knob of butter over very low heat until they set but remain creamy. Divide the eggs into the pastry shell, top the tart with the gratinated asparagus, and serve.