450 g  Shortcrust pastry; (1lb)
     2 lg Potatoes
          Olive oil
     1 bn Spinach; blanched and
          ; refreshed
   1/2 ts Grated nutmeg
   175 g  Gruyere cheese; (6 oz)
     3    Eggs; lightly beaten
   225 ml Double cream; (8fl oz)
     1    Bundle asparagus; blanched
          -and
          ; refreshed
          Salt and black pepper
          Chives and Parmesan to serve
 Roll out the pastry and line a 23cm square or tranche tin. Prick the
 base and refrigerate.
 Put the potato slices in a pan, cover with olive oil and poach without
 browning, until tender.
 Set the oven to 180?C/350?F/gas mark 4. Assemble the tart. Make a
 layer of cooked potato slices in the bottom of the pastry lined tin.
 Sesaon with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Follow with a layer of spinach
 and season. Repeat the layers.
 Beat together eggs (leave a tsp to glaze pastry)and cream and pour
 into the tart case. Top the tart with a line of pre cooked asparagus.
 Brush the pastry with the reserved egg. Bake for 30?35 minutes. Half
 way through cooking time, cover asparagus, not pastry edge with a
 square of tin foil or buttered baking parchment.
Serve with shavings of parmesan and chives.
                 
                 Yields       
                1 servings                
