Everyone’s favourite egg and bacon pie is made a bit more special with the appearance of fresh asparagus in the middle. This makes a brilliant lunch or picnic on a warm day. It can also be cut into smaller pieces to serve with drinks.

Ingredients
Feeds 4 to 6. Takes 1 hour 15 mins.

12 medium asparagus spears
500g frozen puff pastry, thawed
4 streaky bacon rashers
10 free-range eggs
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 egg white, beaten

Trim the asparagus by bending each one until it snaps. Discard ends, and cut asparagus into 2cm lengths. Cook in simmering salted water for two minutes, then drain and refresh under cold water. Unroll or roll out the pastry.

Heat oven to 200C/Gas mark 6. Line a lightly buttered 20cm square pie or cake tin with half the pastry, allowing it to overlap the edges.

Roughly chop the bacon and arrange half of it on the pastry. Crack one egg into a cup, then pour it gently on top of the bacon. Repeat this with five more eggs, and scatter with sea salt and pepper. Gently break the yolks with the tip of a knife. Add another layer of bacon, then a layer of drained asparagus, then the remaining eggs, again breaking the yolks.

Brush the edges of the pastry with the beaten egg white and lay the remaining pastry over the top, crimping the edges together and trimming to fit.

Brush with beaten egg white and bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 180C/Gas mark 4 for a further 30 to 40 minutes until golden brown.

Leave in the tin to cool for 15 minutes, then cut into squares or slices. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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