Asparagus quiche

Serves 6-8 Cakes, Bread and Pastries

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Method

First, make the pastry. Sift the flour into a large bowl and add a pinch of salt. Add the lard and butter and rub them in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Mix the egg yolk with the water and lightly whisk, then add to the flour mix and use the back of a knife to combine. Use your hands to bring the mixture together to a firm dough.

Tip the dough out on to a lightly floured board or work surface and knead it gently. Cover or wrap in cling film and transfer to the fridge to rest for at least 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables for the filling. Snap off the woody parts of the asparagus stems or trim the broccoli, and blanch boiling salted water for 2 minutes until just cooked (if using asparagus, cooking time may be a little shorter or longer depending on thickness), then drain well.

Preheat the oven to 200C/ 180C F/Gas 6. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured board or work surface to a circle 25cm in diameter and 3mm thick (around the thickness of a £1 coin). Carefully use the pastry circle to line a 20cm loose-bottomed, fluted tart tin, pushing the pastry into the edges and grooves. Trim the excess, then put the tart case in the fridge for 20 minutes.

Prick the base of the chilled tart case all over with a fork, then line it with scrunched-up baking paper and pour in some baking beans. Alternatively, use dried beans or uncooked rice – the beans can be reused, but they shouldn’t be eaten.

Blind-bake the pastry case for 20 minutes until lightly golden, then remove the paper and beans and return the case to the oven for a further 5 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly in the tin.

Turn the oven down to 180C/160C F/Gas 4. To make the filling, put the butter in a pan, add the shallot and garlic and cook over a medium heat for around 10 minutes until soft but not coloured. Transfer to a bowl and leave to cool.

When cool, add the egg, yolks, cream and cheese to the bowl. Give it all a good mix to break up the eggs and combine the ingredients, and season with salt and pepper.

Line the base of the pastry case with the asparagus or broccoli, then pour in the egg and cheese mixture. Bake the quiche for 25 minutes until the filling is set to the touch and golden brown.

Allow to cool slightly, then remove it from the tin and serve slightly warm, with a crisp green salad on the side if you like.

This recipe featured in the July 2022 issue of Food and Travel. To subscribe, click here.