Asparagus and Bacon Quiche
by Jay Wadams
Fresh spring asparagus pairs beautifully with the dream team of bacon, eggs and cheese in this simple yet flavoursome Asparagus and Bacon Quiche.
Ingredients
for the pastry:
- 100 g cold unsalted butter cubed
- 200 g flour
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp sugar
- 1 egg beaten
for the quiche filling:
- 12 long asparagus spears ca. 200-250g
- 4 large eggs
- 200 g full cream
- 1 pinch of ground nutmeg
- ¼ of a small leek finely sliced, or 1 medium onion, diced
- 75 g Gruyere Gouda or Edam cheese, grated
- 75 g prosciutto or bacon fat removed and finely diced
- salt & black pepper
Scan the QR Code to view the online recipe with detailed instructions, photos, hints, tips and more at daysofjay.com
Instructions
- Grease the base and sides of a 35 x 12cm fluted tart tin (see notes). Place the butter, flour, salt and sugar in the bowl of a food processor with the blade fitted and process on high until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Pour in the beaten egg, then run the processor until the mixture clumps together and forms a soft dough. This takes longer than you might think, up to a minute or so. If the dough refuses to come together add a little cold water a teaspoon at a time until it does.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to tap it out into the general shape of the tart tin, then roll it out to fit the tin. Place the dough into the tin, pressing it gently but firmly into all the corners. Trim the edges, leaving a small overhang of about half a centimetre to account for the tart shell shrinking. Prick all over with a fork, then place in the freezer for 10 minutes, or the refrigerator for 20. Keep the pastry trimmings aside.
- Meanwhile, heat the oven to 200°C / 400°F / Gas 6. and prepare the filling. Trim the asparagus spears so that from each spear you have two evenly sized pieces the width of the tart tin, discarding the woody ends.
- Beat the eggs together with the cream, nutmeg and a few grinds of salt and pepper, then set aside.
- When the pastry has chilled, remove from the freezer or fridge, scrunch up a sheet of baking paper and use it to line the pastry. Line the baking paper with a piece of foil, pressing to the shape of the pastry. Place the tart tin on a baking tray, then blind bake (see notes) for 10 minutes. Remove the foil and baking paper and bake for a further 5 minutes.
- Remove the tray from the oven. Check the pastry case for any cracks - if so, dampen a small amount of pastry trimmings with a little water so it has a paste-like consistency and very gently use this to plug any holes or cracks. Scatter the leek or onion, cheese and prosciutto over the base of the hot pastry case. Half fill the quiche with the beaten egg and cream mixture, then lay the asparagus spears on top, interchanging the tip and middle pieces and top and tailing them decoratively. Top up with any remaining cream mixture, but don’t be tempted to overfill the tin.
- Bake in the oven a further 30-40 minutes until puffed and golden. Allow to cool to room temperature before serving.
Notes
- You can use the above pastry or store-bought for this recipe. 2-3 sheets of frozen or 1 roll of fresh should fit the tin.
- I use this long tart tin here but you can easily use a standard loose-based round tart tin. See frequently asked questions for a further explanation.
- Blind baking is the process of partially cooking the pastry before it is filled. This helps to avoid the dreaded ’soggy bottom’ If you usually use baking weights or beans, that is quite alright, go ahead and use them, I find that a layer of baking paper and a layer of foil works perfectly as long as the tart has been well chilled before blind baking.
Nutrition
Calories: 821kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 58g | Saturated Fat: 33g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 21g | Cholesterol: 392mg | Sodium: 1597mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g