This Egg, Bacon and Asparagus flan is a something different for you to try in the kitchen, and is ready in just 1 hour!
The is a real balance to this dish that we love here at British Bakeware! It has a great variety of flavours, with the saltiness of the bacon, the crunch of the asparagus and the creamy taste from the eggs and the cheese. Top this off with the crispy filo pastry and you have the perfect dish to serve at dinner time along with new potatoes and seasonal vegetables!
Ingredients:
For the Filling
- 1 bunch of asparagus, around 10 spears or so
- 5 rashers of smoked bacon
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium sized onion
- 25g cornflour
- 300ml semi-skimmed milk
- 3 free ranged eggs
- 25g mature cheddar cheese, extra mature also works well!
- Flaked sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
For the Pastry
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil, and extra to oil your tin
- 4 sheets of filo pastry, about 32 x 38cm
Instructions:
Step 1- Slice the asparagus in to 5cm pieces. Fill a large frying pan up to half way with water, bring to the boil, and add the asparagus and cook until it is tender. Rinse the asparagus under cool water and remove.
Step 2-Take the 5 rashers of bacon and trim and excess fat off. Cut the bacon in to 1cm pieces, and finely slice the onion. Add to the same pan that you cooked the asparagus in until it starts to brown.
Step 3-Add the bacon, onion and asparagus to a mixing bowl and leave it to cool.
Step 4-Preheat your oven to 200 degrees celcius/400 Fahrenheit/Gas mark 6 and place a baking tray in the oven.
Step 5- Oil a 20cm (8 inch) fluted flan tin. Set the remainder of the oil aside in a bowl
Step 6- Take one sheet of the filo pastry and press it firmly against the base and sides of the tin. Use a pastry brush to brush the pastry with more oil and cover with a second sheet of the filo pastry. You must place this at a right angle to the first sheet of pastry that you put down. Put some more oil on the pastry and lay a third sheet of pastry in the same direction as the first sheet, and then place a fourth sheet of pastry in the same direction as the second sheet. Any overhanging pastry should be rolled slightly above the rim of the tin.
Step 7- Place a saucepan on the heat and put 50ml of the milk in to the pan along with the cornflower. This will turn in to a paste like texture. Then add 200ml of the milk and stir well and allow it to simmer. Cook this sauce until it is thick and smooth.
Step 8-Beat the 3 free ranged eggs and add to the sauce. Stir until they are thoroughly combined.
Step 9-Put half the asparagus, bacon and onion mixture in the base of the pastry case and pour the sauce over the top. Place the other half of the asparagus, bacon and onion mixture in after the sauce and press down lightly. Then sprinkle on as much of the cheese as you want!
Step 10-Carefully place in the centre of your oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the pastry starts to crisp and the filling is set.
Step 11-Once you are happy that the flan is completely cooked, remove from the oven and allow it to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. All there is left to do now is to tuck in to a slice of this delicious flan!
Source: BBC Food
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