Few weeks ago, I decided to be the hostess with the mostess and host brunch at my new home with a few close girlfriends in the city. I knew as soon as Beso Del Sol Sangria  challenged me to create the perfect summer pairing for their sangria, this would be a fun way to gather some friends for some great food and drinks. Imported from Spain, Beso del Sol Sangria is the first premium sangria made from 100% natural ingredients available in the US in a bag-in-the box design. Tempranillo, a medium-bodied Spanish wine, is the perfect foundation for this beautiful blend with an addition of selected fruits to help create its sweet and refreshing taste. It is well-balanced with a smooth finish at 8.5% alcohol. At $19.99, the Beso Del Sol sangria is a great value and perfect for any summer celebrations! 

I decided to pair this sangria with an asparagus cheese tart since this savory dish would compliment the sweetness from the sangria. That Sunday afternoon was filled with lots of laughter and funny updates from the weekend. Cheers and enjoy!
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ASPARAGUS CHEESE TART RECIPE
Serves 6

Total Time
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 pound asparagus, ends trimmed
  • All-purpose flour, for dusting
  • 1 cup grated fontina cheese (about 3 ounces)
  • 1 cup grated comte or gruyere cheese (about 3 ounces)
  • 1 tablespoon minced shallot
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 3 tablespoons whole milk
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Directions

  1. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Bring about 1 inch of water to a boil in a large skillet.
  2. Add the asparagus; cook until bright green and crisp-tender, 2 to 5 minutes, depending on the thickness of the asparagus.
  3. Drain the asparagus in cold water for 2 minutes; drain and pat dry. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  4. Mix the fontina, comte, shallot, egg yolks, milk, nutmeg and a pinch each of salt and pepper in a bowl until combined.
  5. Spread the cheese mixture evenly in the pre-made tart.
  6. Toss the asparagus with the olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Arrange the asparagus on the tart and bake until the cheese mixture is slightly puffy, 15 to 20 minutes.
  7. Serve warm or at room temperature.

TART RECIPE
Serves 6
Total Time
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients

  • 9 oz. (2 cups) all-purpose unbleached flour
  • 1/2 tsp. table salt
  • 6 oz. (12 Tbs.) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and chilled
  • 6 Tbs. ice water

Directions

  1. In a food processor, combine the flour, salt, and butter. Using short pulses, process until the mixture resembles oatmeal.
  2. Add the ice water and pulse quickly until the mixture begins to come together don’t let it actually form a ball.
  3. Transfer the mixture to a lightly floured surface and gather it into a ball with your hands.
  4. Gently flatten the ball into a smooth disk about 1-1/2 inches thick and wrap it in plastic or foil.
  5. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour,  until it’s firm enough to roll.
  6. Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface into a round about 1/8 inch thick.
  7. Roll the dough over your rolling pin and lift it over the tart pan. Unroll it loosely over the tart pan and gently press the dough into the pan without stretching it.
  8. Fold a bit of the excess dough inward to form a lip. Roll the rolling pin back and forth over the pan. Remove the severed dough from the outside of the pan.
  9. Unfold the lip of dough and press it down into the sides of the pan to form a double thickness.
  10. Prick the bottom of the shell all over with a fork, cover with aluminum foil, and freeze for at least 30 minutes and as long as overnight.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary meal to facilitate this post. The review and all opinions are my own.