Sometimes Only a Pie Will Do

There are days in Andalucía when only something baked, golden and slightly comforting will do. This caramelised onion, asparagus and goat's cheese tart is one of those recipes.

The caramelised onion, asparagus and goat's cheese tart requires very little effort and delivers something that feels considerably more special than the sum of its parts. Shop-bought pastry, a handful of ingredients, forty-five minutes of patient onion caramelising, and fifteen minutes in the oven. That is all.

One thing you notice quickly when you move to Spain is that asparagus seems to be available all year round. In Britain, asparagus has a short, celebrated season — roughly six weeks in late spring — and its arrival is treated as a minor national event. Here, it simply appears in the supermarket, month after month, without ceremony or explanation.

The reason is straightforward. Spain is one of Europe's major asparagus producers, with green asparagus grown across Andalucía, Murcia, Valencia and Extremadura, and the famous white espárrago blanco from Navarra and La Rioja. Staggered regional seasons, greenhouse production and a longer southern growing season mean Spanish supermarkets stock fresh asparagus for months. Imports from Peru and Mexico quietly fill any remaining gaps. To the shopper, it looks like asparagus never ends — and in practical terms, it more or less doesn't.

Which means this tart has no season. Make it whenever you like.

Ingredients for caramelised onion asparagus goats cheese tart

(serves 2–3)

• 1 sheet of filo or puff pastry
• 4 red onions, finely sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• A bunch of asparagus, roughly chopped
• 150g goat's cheese, crumbled or sliced
• Melted butter for brushing
• Olive oil for cooking
• Plenty of freshly ground black pepper

Method

Caramelise the red onions slowly in olive oil over a very low heat for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chopped garlic towards the end. Set aside to cool slightly.

Layer sheets of filo or puff pastry over a baking sheet and brush with melted butter.

Spread the caramelised onions over the pastry. Scatter over the chopped asparagus and finish with the goat's cheese. Season generously with black pepper.

Bake at 160°C fan for 15 minutes or until golden and just beginning to catch on the edges.

This caramelised onion, asparagus and goat's cheese tart is best eaten warm, straight from the oven.

If you like your caramelised onions with tomatoes instead of asparagus and goat's cheese, my Tomatoey Tart With Caramelised Onions is built on the same technique.

This caramelised onion, asparagus and goat's cheese tart is part of my Veg, Fruit & Pulses collection.
It also features in my Cheese Recipes collection — from Welsh rarebit to baked camembert, halloumi, feta and beyond.
Wonky photos, proper produce, genuine adventures – The Flexible Chef