Carole Bamford, founder of the Daylesford and Bamford empire, knows how to entertain. From table setting, to backdrop to menu, she is an expert. This is her asparagus, spinach and garlic tart recipe, perfect for a long weekend lunch …
ASPARAGUS, SPINACH AND WILD GARLIC TART
For a summer lunch menu, Carole suggests dressed crab with herb salad as a starter, followed by an asparagus, spinach and wild garlic tart and a pudding of grilled peaches with lemon mascarpone and mint.
Ingredients
For the pastry crust
Plain flour, for dusting
1 x 250 g block of shortcrust pastry
For the wild garlic (ramps) pesto
200g wild garlic (ramps), roughly chopped
90g pumpkin seeds
280ml olive oil
For the filling
2 large eggs, plus 1 beaten egg for sealing the pastry
8 asparagus spears, tough woody ends removed
1 tsp drizzle of olive oil
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
300g fresh spinach
160g Adlestrop or Caerphilly cheese
1 heaped tbsp chopped chives
1 heaped tsp chopped tarragon
300ml double (heavy) cream
Sea salt and black pepper
Method
1.Preheat the oven to 160ºC/140ºC Fan.
2. Grease a 20cm loose-bottomed tart tin. Dust a work surface with flour, roll out the pastry to 5mm thick, and wider than the tin. Lift the pastry into the tin, pushing it gently into the base and sides, then chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
3. For the pesto, place the wild garlic in a bowl, add the pumpkin seeds, then cover with the olive oil and leave to stand for 5 minutes. Blend or use a pestle and mortar to pound the mixture until you have a consistency you like – chunky or smooth.
4. When ready to blind-bake, prick the base of the pastry case with a fork, then line with greaseproof paper – and fill it with baking beans. Put into the oven for about 30 minutes, until light golden brown, then remove the paper and baking beans, and brush the inside of the pastry case with the beaten egg to seal any holes. Bake in the oven for a further 5–10 minutes, until the base is golden brown. Remove from the oven and, when cool, carefully trim off the overhanging pastry with a small, sharp serrated knife. Reduce the oven temperature to 140ºC/120ºC Fan.
5. Meanwhile, blanch the asparagus spears in salted boiling water for 3 minutes, then drain and plunge into cold water to stop them cooking.
6. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan with a lid, add the garlic and sweat until soft. Add the spinach, season with salt and pepper and cook at a medium–high
heat for 1 minute, until wilted. Remove from the heat and squeeze any water out of the spinach, then transfer to a bowl. Stir through the Adlestrop, chopped herbs and season.
7. Fill the cooled pastry case with the spinach filling, then gently place the asparagus spears on top in a line. Put the quiche tin on to a baking tray.
8. Beat together the eggs, cream, salt and pepper with a fork, then pour the mixture into the pastry case to fill it.
9. Drizzle a tablespoon of the wild garlic pesto over the top, put the baking tray with the quiche into the oven and bake for 45 minutes until it is both golden on top and set in the middle.
A recipe from Daylesford Living: Inspired by Nature by Carole Bamford, published by Vendome Press.
Photographs by Martin Morrell.