Description
A savory asparagus, feta, and dill quiche featuring a buttery homemade pastry crust filled with a creamy mixture of double cream, crème fraîche, and eggs, complemented by tender asparagus, tangy feta cheese, and fresh dill for a delightful springtime meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables & Herbs
- ½ tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 500g asparagus (about two bunches), woody stalks removed
- small handful of dill
Dairy & Eggs
- 100ml double cream
- 300ml crème fraîche
- 1 tbsp natural yogurt
- 3 eggs
- 200g feta, cut into 1cm cubes
- 50g vegetarian Italian-style hard cheese, grated
- 130g cold salted butter, cut into cubes
Pantry
- 250g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- ¼ tsp white pepper
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika
Instructions
- Prepare the onion and garlic: Heat the vegetable oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and fry for 5 minutes until softened but not browned. Add the crushed garlic cloves and cook for an additional 5 minutes, ensuring the onion remains soft but not golden. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Cook the asparagus: Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil. Cook the asparagus for 3 minutes until tender but still crisp. Drain and immediately plunge the asparagus into a bowl of cold water to halt cooking, then drain again. Set aside eight whole spears for decoration and chop the rest into 3cm lengths.
- Make the pastry dough: In a bowl, combine the plain flour and grated vegetarian Italian-style hard cheese. Rub in the cold, cubed salted butter with your fingers until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Gradually add 1 tablespoon of cold water at a time, between 3-6 tablespoons in total, until the dough comes together. Wrap the dough and chill in the freezer for 5 minutes to firm up.
- Roll and line the tart tin: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled pastry dough to fit a deep 23cm flan tin with a slight overlap. Carefully lift and press the pastry into the tin. Trim the excess pastry so it extends about 2cm above the rim. Prick the base all over with a fork. Return the pastry-lined tin to the freezer to chill for 15 minutes.
- Blind bake the pastry case: Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan/gas mark 6). Crumple a square of baking parchment and line the chilled pastry case with it, then fill with baking beans. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the beans and parchment and bake for a further 5 minutes until the base is lightly golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
- Prepare the filling: In a bowl, gently combine the double cream, crème fraîche, natural yogurt, and eggs without over-mixing to avoid bubbles. Stir in the cooled fried onion and garlic mixture along with white pepper and smoked paprika. Fold in most of the feta cheese and the chopped asparagus pieces.
- Assemble the quiche: Place the pastry case on a baking tray. Pour in the filling mixture, distributing the feta and chopped asparagus evenly. Arrange the reserved whole asparagus spears on top along with the remaining feta cubes.
- Bake the quiche: Immediately reduce the oven temperature to 180°C (160°C fan/gas mark 4). Bake for 35-40 minutes until the filling is set with a slight wobble in the center. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before slicing and serving.
Notes
- The pastry can be chilled in the freezer to speed up the process and maintain a cold dough for a flaky crust.
- Do not overmix the filling to avoid incorporating air bubbles, which can cause cracks during baking.
- Plunging cooked asparagus in cold water helps preserve a vibrant color and prevents overcooking.
- This quiche can be served warm or at room temperature, making it perfect for brunch or summer lunches.
- Vegetarian-friendly using vegetarian hard cheese and no animal rennet in feta.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Quiche
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: European
Keywords: Asparagus quiche, Feta quiche, Dill quiche, Spring quiche, Vegetarian quiche, Homemade pastry quiche
