Asparagus Gruyere Tart

I’m ashamed to admit that I can go weeks without incorporating a single vegetable into my diet. It’s not that I don’t appreciate a handful of sugar snap peas in the summer or roasted eggplant in the winter, but it’s rarely something I crave or think to make on my own. Martha Stewart’sAsparagus Gruyere Tart has changed my mind entirely with its flaky crust, gooey cheese and perfectly crisp asparagus. It’s not exactly health food, but it’s definitely a step in the right direction.

Serves 4

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

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 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 Gruyere. Trim the bottoms of the asparagus spears to fit crosswise inside the tart shell; arrange in a single layer over Gruyere, alternating ends and tips. Brush with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake until spears are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.