This tart kept me guessing at every stage. I was worried about the baking time, the lack of eggs, the amount of sour cream, the assembly. I am here to tell you that it all worked out perfectly. It comes out as a thin tart, less than an inch thick, so one 9×13 provided six hearty portions.
This tart is actually mild tasting, despite containing all the sour cream, asparagus, and parmesan. It combines the best of all these strong-flavored ingredients to create a crisp, moist but not overly filling or eggy brunch dish. Since it only uses ONE EGG, you won’t get the “isn’t this just a quiche?” feeling from it.
Steps to make asparagus tart with phyllo dough
Step 1: Gather the ingredients. (This is important for this recipe because you’ll need everything close at hand or your phyllo will dry out. Keep the dough in its sleeve until you are ready to use it.) Preheat oven to 400F. Wash and dry asparagus spears.
Step 2: Mix the sour cream, egg, dried thyme, salt and pepper. Set aside. Remove 2 inches from the woody ends of asparagus, then cut the remainder into three sections. If it’s very thick asparagus, cut lengthwise so they cook evenly.
Step 3: Bundle a sheet of phyllo on its side, as if you were rifling through files in a filing cabinet. Repeat with each sheet until you fill the pan with “ruffles” of phyllo dough, as shown.
Step 4: Tuck slices of Camembert cheese and your trimmed asparagus into the folds of the phyllo dough.
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Step 5: Pour the egg and sour cream mixture over the cheese, dough, and asparagus. It will redistribute as it bakes, so it doesn’t need to look perfect.
Step 6: Using a pastry brush, gently brush the melted Challenge butter (we love the fresh taste, and the Cubes are cute too) over the phyllo, cheese and asparagus. Then sprinkle on the parmesan.
Step 7: Bake at 400F for 20 minutes. The edges will look a lovely golden color; the center will look a bit crisp but won’t change color much.
Step 8: Let it rest for five minutes, then cut into squares using a sharp knife. Serve warm or at room temperature with sliced tomatoes or fruit.
Tips for making this cheesy asparagus tart
- If your asparagus spears are particularly fat, cut the usable portions shorter, to about one inch or cut lengthwise so each is more slender.
- Phyllo dough is so thin and delicate that it dries out quickly, which can make it hard to handle; the corners start to break off and it gets messy. (Ask me how I know.) Keep the remaining sheets covered with a clean kitchen towel as you work.
- It’s best to bake this uncovered so the edges of the phyllo get crisp. The part under the custard will stay moist.
- To help the asparagus cook evenly, cut off and discard at least three inches from the woody bottom.
- It will seem like a lot of sour cream, but it is not tangy at all after it’s baked.
- If you don’t have thyme, basil or oregano works too. Or leave it out altogether.
Tools & Equipment
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 9×13 glass casserole dish
- Sharp knife & cutting board
- Kitchen towel
- Measuring cups & spoons
- Large mixing bowl
- Cheese grater (fine side)
- Small microwave-safe bowl
- Pastry brush
- Hot pads (for removing dish from oven)
Asparagus Tart with Phyllo Dough & Camembert
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Ingredients
- 12 – 16 asparagus stalks
- 3/4 c sour cream
- 1 egg
- 4 T Challenge butter
- 4 T finely grated fresh Parmesan cheese
- 1 roll phyllo dough
- 1 7 oz Camembert or Brie wheel
- ¼ t dried or fresh thyme
- ½ t salt
- Several turns of black pepper
Instructions
- Because it dries out fast, keep the phyllo dough packaged or fully covered until Step 8. Keep the camembert in the fridge until Step 7. (It’s easier to slice when it’s chilled.)
- Wash and dry the asparagus. Cut each stalk into thirds, discarding the woody ends, reserving the top two portions to be used in the tart.
- Preheat the oven to 375F.
- Spray a 9×13 glass casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sour cream, egg, thyme, salt, and pepper until smooth. Set aside.
- Shred or grate the fresh parmesan. Set aside.
- Unwrap the camembert and slice the whole wheel into ¼-inch slices. Set aside.
- Remove the phyllo dough sheets from the package. Working quickly, fold them like you might a napkin and begin stacking on the skinny side. You’re going for an accordion-style, “file folder” appearance. They may begin to slide because of the nonstick spray, but we will straighten them up as we tuck cheese and veg into the folds.
- Once all the phyllo is arranged in the casserole dish, begin tucking in portions of the asparagus deeply throughout until all of the asparagus is used.
- Do the same for slices of the camembert, tucking a slice here and there, between folds, like a bookmark in a book. If the phyllo sheets have slid so that they are laying flat, lift and rearrange. The presence of cheese, asparagus and other sheets of phyllo should help hold these layers up.
- Melt the butter in a microwave-safe dish. Use a pastry brush to add the melted butter all over the surface.
- Pour the egg and sour cream mixture evenly over the surface.
- Dust the top with the shredded Parmesan.
- Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes. A knife in the center should come out clean.
- Cool for two minutes, then slice into squares and serve warm. (Though it’s pretty good at room temp, too, honestly.)
- For small tastings (3×3-in squares), this will serve about 12. For hearty portions, plan for 6 servings.
