Make the most of the season

MASTERCHEF winner Mat Follas has teamed up with the Happy Egg Co to create this mouthwatering recipe to help you make the most of one of the season's prime ingredients, asparagus.

The asparagus season is short and most of the crop is picked by middle to late June so make sure use this wonderful ingredient before it's too late!

Serves 8

Ingredients

Pastry

200g plain flour

100g salted butter, kept cold in the fridge

Cold water, as needed (not more than 4 tsp)

2 happy egg yolks

(keep the whites for glazing the pastry)

Filling

6 asparagus spears

100g mild goat's cheese

150ml milk

150ml double cream

2 happy eggs

2 happy egg yolks

Pinch of salt

Method

Tart base

Crumble together the flour and butter. Add the happy egg yolks and mix to loosely bind the mixture, adding a little cold water if needed.

Wrap tightly as a sausage shape in cling film, and place in fridge for 60 mins.

To blind-bake roll-out pastry and place into a floured tart tin moulding into the corners. Leave the edges until cooked. Prick liberally with a fork and place in a preheated oven at 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4 for 8 minutes.

Remove and patch any holes with spare pastry. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, glaze with beaten happy egg white and return for a further 2 minutes. Now trim edges with a sharp knife.

Filling

Make the custard by whisking together the happy eggs, happy egg yolks, cream, milk and salt until smooth and fully combined. Cut 5 slices of goat's cheese and set aside for decorating the tart. Crumble the rest of the goat's cheese into the bowl and gently fold in.

To finish

Turn the oven down to 140°C/275°F/Gas Mark 1. Pour filling into the tart and decorate with the slices of goat's cheese and asparagus spears.

Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes. When cooked the mixture should be firm but still a bit wobbly, like a jelly.