Asparagus and Feta quiche

My love-hate relationship with baking

I am the first to put up my hand to say that baking is not always my jam.  It requires so much precision, and it is not advisable to just change a recipe midflow (as I often do). But sometimes I like to bake, nothing fancy just the traditional steps of pastry making. Butter, flour, eggs, and salt.  Getting my hands dirty, rolling out dough, and using it in different ways.

To quiche or not to quiche

I often make crustless quiches, because calories and healthy eating, but created an asparagus quiche with shortcrust pastry a few years ago, it was so delicious and pretty in the oblong tin I wanted to create it again and photograph it so it could live on my blog.

So here is a fabulous recipe for dinner or a tea party. It takes a bit of extra time, but enjoy getting your hands dirty and appreciate the endless uses of pastry.

I added some sesame seeds and cayenne pepper to my crust, and it just makes it a little more special with some interesting flavours.

Blind baking

Alot of quiche recipes does not require blind baking but for a cooked-through crust with no soggy bottom, I would advise that you spend the extra time to first blind-bake the crust. I have some fancy baking beads that I use once a year but dry rice or lentils will also do the trick. Just roll out the dough, and place it in the tin. Make sure to leave a little room at the edges because the dough will shrink. Cover with baking paper and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes until almost cooked. Remove rice/lentils/beans and paper and bake for a few more minutes until golden brown. Tidy the edges with a vegetable peeler. If you could get your hands on a loose-base quiche tin, it will make life so much easier. If you are trying to remove the quiche from the pan.

Making the ‘Custard’

This is a savoury custard, but there is no need to cook the custard in advance. Just add eggs, milk/cream or yogurt to a bowl or jug and whisk. Add herbs and salt for extra flavor. For a more indulgent quiche add cream instead of yogurt.

Different cheeses can be added depending on the flavor combo, feta, goat’s cheese and Brie are delicious.

Asparagus and feta quiche

• Author: Ankie Niesing
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Total Time: 70
• Yield: Serves 8 1x

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Ingredients

Quiche crust

1 ½ cup (190 g)  flour or spelt flour

½ tsp salt

110 g cold butter cubed

1 egg beaten

3tbs toasted sesame seeds

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Quiche filling

300 g green asparagus

100 g feta cheese

1 tbsp dill/coriander/parsley chopped

3 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup yogurt

½ tsp salt

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Instructions

Quiche crust method

• Preheat oven to 180’C
• Mix flour and salt in a blender. Add the cold butter cubes and mix on low speed, until it resembles coarse crumbs.
• Add the toasted sesame seeds and cayenne pepper
• Add the egg and mix at low speed until it comes together into a dough.
• Use your hands to form it into a disc or ball. Warp with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes (up to two days). Place it on a floured working surface and roll it, using a rolling pin, into the required shape. Transfer into a round or oblong quiche pan and gently press the dough into place using your hands.
• Place baking paper in tin and cover with baking beans or dry rice, blind bake for about 20 minutes, remove baking paper and bake another 5-10 minutes until golden brown. Leave to cool down for a few minutes.
• Place the asparagus in the pastry case in your preferred style
• Mix the eggs, milk, yogurt fresh dill, salt, and pepper in a bowl and pour over the asparagus.
• Add crumbled feta on top
• Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven until golden brown.

 

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Notes

Other great quiche combos are

• Sweet potato, caramelized onions and goat’s cheese
• Sweet potato, chorizo and goat’s chese
• Bacon and Leek
• Smoked salmon and dill