This one is fun to make because they're cute. I was looking for a more masculine term to describe the appeal of the mini-tart, but I think cute is really the right word. Each person is served their own individual tart that is just under 5 inches in diameter. I picked up these tart pans at Great News cooking store.

Serves 6
7 ounces asparagus tips
5 ounces Gruyere cheese, finely grated
6 large eggs
2 ounces Parmesans cheese, finely grated
1 teaspoon olive oil
salt and pepper

Crust
2 ounces soft butter
4 ounces flour
1 1/2 ounces strong cheddar, finely grated
1 teaspoon mustard powder
pinch cayenne pepper

Mix the flour with the butter, then add enough water to make the dough moist, but not wet. (For more specific proportions, see my posting on dough.) Add the other dough ingredients and then refrigerate the dough for about 20 minutes. Afterwards, roll it out as thin as you can and then cut out circles of dough a little bigger than your tart tin. Line the tins without stretching the dough. Bake them for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Brush them with egg and then bake for an additional 5 minutes.

Cut asparagus in to one and a half inch pieces. For a more elegant presentation, you may want to use only the asparagus tip instead of both the tip and the stem. Saute the asparagus in butter for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Put Gruyere in the tarts, place the asparagus around the edges, then break and egg in to the center. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Bake for about 10 minutes at 375 being careful not to overcook the egg yolk which should remain runny.