Tomato, Gruyere & Basil Tart with Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus

The days are getting longer and I'm wanting to spend as much time as possible outside. I'm really looking forward to dining al fresco. A great dinner, or lunch, for a warm spring night is none other than this delicious tomato tart and side of bacon-wrapped asparagus.

What makes this tart so great is its freshness. Sweet tomatoes and fragrant basil... honestly, a match made in heaven. And then there is the asparagus and bacon. My mouth is watering just typing about this deliciousness.

Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus

     adapted from Just a Pinch Recipes

Ingredients

2 lbs. asparagus, bottoms trimmed

10-12 slices of bacon

½ cup brown sugar

¼ cup butter

1 tbsp soy sauce

½ tsp garlic salt

ground pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F. In a small saucepan, melt the brown sugar, butter, and soy sauce together. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Remove from heat once boiling.

Wrap one slice of bacon around 2-3 stems of asparagus. Arrange the bacon-wrapped asparagus in a shallow baking dish, drizzle with the brown sugar glaze. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the bacon is fully cooked.

Tomato, Gruyere & Basil Tart

from The Pastry Affair

serves 5-6

Crust Ingredients

2 cups flour

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp sea salt

⅓ cup olive oil

⅓ cup cold water, more if needed

Tomato Filling

≈ 2 cups Gruyere cheese, grated

½ cup fresh basil

5 tomatoes, thinly sliced

salt & pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a medium bowl, whisk dry ingredients together. Make a well in the mixture and pour in the olive oil and water. Using your fingers, working in circles, combined the dough. Add a little more water if the dough isn't coming together.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and carefully transfer to a tart pan or 9-inch pie pan. Prick the bottom with a fork and bake for 10-15 minutes. Let cool slightly before filling.

Layering the filling, start with the Gruyere.

Next, add a layer of tomato and basil. Repeat until you reach just below the top of the crust, sprinkling with salt and pepper as you go.

Bake for 30 minutes until the top is golden. Let cool briefly before serving.

Enjoy!!