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Ingredients

  • 300g new potatoes
  • 400g asparagus, trimmed and cut into 3-4 pieces
  • 80g butter, plus extra for the tin
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 80g plain flour
  • 800ml whole milk
  • 75g spinach
  • a good grating nutmeg
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 100g Italian hard cheese, finely grated
  • 75g frozen peas
  • 5 large eggs
  • 2 red onions, thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • a small bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked

Method

  • STEP 1

    Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4 and butter and line a deep 23cm springform cake tin.

  • STEP 2

    Cook the potatoes in a large pan of lightly salted boiling water for 8-10 minutes or until tender to the point of a knife. Scoop out with a slotted spoon, then add the asparagus for 2 minutes and drain well. Cut the potatoes into 1-2cm slices.

  • STEP 3

    Heat the butter with the onion and a pinch of salt, and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add the flour and cook for 2-3 minutes until smelling toasty. Add the milk, a little at a time, while whisking, adding more once fully incorporated. Simmer for 5 minutes until thickened, then stir in the spinach, nutmeg, mustard, Italian hard cheese and lots of seasoning. Cool for 5 minutes, then stir in the asparagus, new potatoes and peas. Crack in the eggs and whisk well, then pour into the prepared tin and put into the oven for 45-50 minutes or until cooked through.

  • STEP 4

    Put the onions into a bowl with a pinch of salt and the vinegar and use your hands to scrunch them until they soften slightly.

  • STEP 5

    Cool the sformato for 10 minutes in the tin, then remove the sides, invert onto a plate and cool to room temperature. Stir the parsley into the onions, drain, scatter over the top of the sformato, cut into wedges and serve.

Authors

Adam Bush Chef Portrait
Adam BushDeputy food editor
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