Asparagus and Mushroom Tart with Polenta Crust

I know this tart looks a lot like my last post of the quiche, but it is completely different and absolutely delicious. Made with fresh early summertime vegetables, a wonderfully creamy custard and flavorful polenta crust, this tart makes a crowd pleasing meal!

I had never made a polenta crust before, but it is a lot easier and quicker to make than a pastry crust. It makes a great base for the custard and holds up well to the weight of the mushrooms, feta and asparagus.

Although the ingredients in this tart sound decadent, it is surprisingly light and low calorie. I calculated out the calories for 1/6th of this pie and one piece is only 290 calories! Pretty guilt free!

I also served this with some oven roasted tomatoes (my favorite side dish these days), which is also light and practically guilt free. This is a great light dinner to keep you in shape this swimsuit season!

I will surely be enjoying this tart for the next couple of days for breakfasts, lunches and dinners. I will make sure that not a single bite of this unique and wonderful tart goes to waste. My dad has already enjoyed another piece of this for his breakfast today and he can't stop raving about how delicious and flavorful this tart is. I hope you enjoy!

Asparagus and Mushroom Tart with Polenta Crust:

(recipe very slightly adapted from: http://www.bojongourmet.com/)

Crust:

2 1/2 cups water

1 cup polenta (I used Bob's Red Mill)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1/2 cup parmesan, grated

1 egg

sea salt and pepper, to season

Custard:

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup 2% plain Greek yogurt

1 egg

3 ounces feta cheese

sea salt and pepper

Vegetables:

6 ounces shiitake mushrooms, sliced

8 ounces asparagus, ends trimmed and cut in half

1 tablespoon olive oil

sea salt

1. Preheat the oven to 400° and grease a tart pan or springform pan. 
2. Boil the water in a large pot and slowly whisk in the polenta. Keep whisking until the polenta thickens, about 10 minutes. Take the polenta off the heat and stir in the egg, butter, parmesan, salt and pepper.
3. Pour the polenta into the greased pan and smooth it out with a spatula. Once it has cooled slightly, wet your fingers and form an edge. Bake for 25 minutes and set aside to cool.
4. Lower the temperature to 375° and spread the mushrooms onto the baking sheet. Season with salt and olive oil and bake for 10 minutes.
5. In a large mixing bowl whisk together the yogurt and egg. Whisk in the cream, salt and pepper.
6. To assemble the tart, spread the feta onto the bottom of the crust. Top the feta with the mushrooms and pour the custard over the mushrooms. Top with the asparagus spears and bake for 40-50 minutes, until the center is cooked through. Let cool for about 20 minutes, slice and serve!