tiny happy

Hello and happy October! Hope this finds you well, lovely reader.

I'm knitting some socks for Tom. They make a good project to carry around and sneak a few rows on every now and then (such as in my lunch break at work and on the bus). But they are taking a really long time! I'm worried I will contract a terrible case of 'second sock syndrome' when I finally finish the first one. Will be sure to keep you posted on this nail biting situation.

In the last photo above you can see some beautiful aquilegia (columbine) flowers that are having their moment in the garden. They've self-seeded from last year. But here is the strange thing: last summer they were a dark purple and yellow colour (I even have blog evidence). Do you know anything about this?

It's spring here in Wellington and that means even wilder weather, and asparagus. We love eating it around here, and it's nice to have a vegetable that is truly seasonal – it's not common to find asparagus for sale at any other time of the year. 

Anyway, asparagus tart is a favourite easy-to-make supper and if someone brings a bunch of asparagus home with them, I can have this ready in nearly half an hour. Here's the recipe:

SPRING FLING ASPARAGUS TART

1 1/4 cups plain flour
a pinch of salt
75 grams cold butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup milk
splash of malt or white vinegar
1 bunch of fresh asparagus

3 eggs
salt and cracked pepper
handful of grated cheddar cheese or crumbled feta
chopped fresh parsley and mint

Preheat oven to 200 degrees celcius and dust an oven tray with flour.
Make the pastry by placing flour, salt and butter in a food processor, and blitzing until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the splash of vinegar to the milk and let sit for half a minute or so. Add to flour and mix until a pastry ball is formed. (Add a little more flour or milk if too wet or dry). Roll pastry out into a rectangle a smidge bigger than the oven tray and lay the pastry over it. Fold the edges in to make a border. Trim asparagus and lay width-ways along the pastry.

Beat the eggs then mix in the salt and pepper, grated cheese and herbs. Pour this mixture over the asparagus carefully so it doesn't escape the pastry border. Bake for around 15-20 minutes, until it is golden and the pastry is crispy. Serve with salad and peas or broad beans. 

Happy spring times!