Asparagus Gruyère Tart

This appetizer always scores high marks with guests!

ingredients

Flour, for work surface
1 sheet frozen puff pastry
5 1/2 ounces (2 cups) Gruyère cheese, shredded
1 1/2 pounds medium or thick asparagus
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper

directions

1
Preheat oven to 400°. On a floured surface, roll the puff pastry into a 16-by-10-inch rectangle. Trim uneven edges. Place pastry on a baking sheet. With a sharp knife, lightly score pastry dough 1 inch in from the edges to mark a rectangle. Using a fork, pierce dough inside the markings at 1/2-inch intervals. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes.
2
Remove pastry shell from oven, and sprinkle with Gruyère. Trim the bottoms of the asparagus spears to fit crosswise inside the tart shell; arrange in a single layer over Gruyère, alternating ends and tips. Brush with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake until spears are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
3
Note: Making the Crust: Scoring the dough with a knife ensures that the edges rise evenly; pricking the center of the pastry with a fork keeps it from puffing up too high as it bakes.

notes

Store-bought puff pastry works well in this savory tart; thaw it according to package instructions. Emmentaler or Fontina cheese can be substituted for the Gruyère. I have only made it with Gruyère and it is awesome!

Source: Anne