Bacon Asparagus Tart

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch asparagus, ends removed
• 1 bunch fresh spinach (about 20 large leaves), stems trimmed
• 4 strips Greer’s Bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 4 tablespoons Hiland butter, melted
• 1 pound phyllo, thawed according to package directions 1¾ cups Gruyere, grated
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup Hiland whipping cream
• 1⁄16 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1½ teaspoons Daddy Hinkle’s onion and garlic seasoning 

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Bring a pot of water to a boil. With a bowl of ice water ready, plunge the asparagus spears into the boiling water for just a moment to blanch, then remove it and toss it into the ice water. Do the same with the spinach.
3. Meanwhile, brush a 9-inch square tart pan or a 14-inch rectangular tart pan with a little melted Hiland Dairy butter and line it with a sheet of phyllo pastry, pressing the phyllo against the side of the pan and allowing the excess to hang over the edge of the pan.
4. Brush the top of this sheet with more butter and top it with another sheet of phyllo. Repeat until all the phyllo is used. Trim the edges of the phyllo flush with the top of the tart pan.
5. Drain the asparagus and the spinach and pat them completely dry.
6. Arrange a layer of spinach on the phyllo. Sprinkle lightly with one-third of the Daddy Hinkle’s seasoning. Add the Gruyere, a second layer of spinach, and season with one-third again. Beat the eggs, cream and nutmeg in a pitcher or bowl and then pour the mixture over the tart.
7. Arrange the spears on the tart, topping with bacon and remainder of the Daddy Hinkle’s seasoning. Brush the exposed pastry edges with a little butter.
8. Prepare a piece of parchment or foil large enough to cover the inside of the asparagus tart, but leave the phyllo edge uncovered, set aside.
9. Bake the asparagus tart, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
10. Cover the center of the tart but not the edges of the pastry with the parchment or foil and continue to bake until the center of the tart is just set, 15 to 20 minutes more.
11. Let the asparagus tart rest a few minutes before slicing and serving.