Remember how I promised you something extra delicious as a reward for you shoe advice?
Voila! Quiche!
This little beauty is something that popped into my head when I suddenly had a major craving for all things asparagus the other day. Weird, I know. Most people seem to obsess over things like chocolate or ice cream, and here I am day-dreaming of asparagus.
Eh, let’s just go with it. Asparagus is yummy. Asparagus paired with spinach, garlic, and shallots is even yummier. Toss in some cream and Swiss cheese, all piled into a flaky pastry crust, and you’ve got a fantastic savory dish for the chilly months ahead.
Wanna see how to make it?
I thought so.
First, using the miraculous creation that is a food processor, throw together the pastry crust. Flatten into a disk, wrap it up in plastic wrap, and let it chill in the fridge while you work on the filling.
Grab some asparagus, trimming off the stems to they fit in your tart pan. Pop the asparagus in some boiling water and allow it to blanch for a minute or two, just to soften it up before it goes in the oven.
What’s the plural form of “asparagus”? Asparaguses?
Then comes some lovely minced garlic…
…and a bit of chopped shallot…
…which all gets tossed in a pan with some olive oil to soften.
Add in a heaping two cups of spinach and cook until wilted, but still green.
Then, in a medium-sized bowl, whisk together two eggs…
…and then add a buncha heavy cream.
Toss in some shredded Swiss cheese for good measure.
To assemble, roll out your pastry crust and transfer it to the tart pan.
Side note: This is probably the first time that I’ve been able to do this without my crust crumbling to bits en route to said tart pan. Practice makes perfect, guys!
Spread the spinach mixture over the bottom…
…then pour in the cream mixture, giving it a tiny stir to make sure everything’s evenly distributed…
…and then arrange the asparagus over the top. If you don’t want to do this sort of pattern, it’s perfectly fine and still very tasty to just chop them up and add them in the mix with the spinach layer.
Finally, sprinkle a nice bit of the same Swiss cheese over the top.
You can never, I repeat never, have too much cheese.
Unless it’s that gross cheese you find in Lunchables.
Ew.
However, we’re shan’t ponder on that—it’s too upsetting. Let’s get ourselves back into a place of peace. Repeat after me…
Quiche…quiche…quiche. Note the “shhhh” sound it makes. Very calming.
I’m so weird.
Anyway, pop that quiche in the oven for 25-30 minutes and you’re done! Deliciosity awaits!
Asparagus Quiche
A La Kocinera Original Recipe
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 stick cold unsalted butter, cubed
1/4 teaspoon salt
4-8 tablespoons ice water
1 bunch asparagus, stems removed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large shallot, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups spinach
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
3/4 plus 1/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and pepper, to taste
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
For the pastry shell: In a food processor, combine the flour, salt, and butter. Pulse until it gets nice and crumbly. With the food processor turned on, slowly add the water one tablespoon at a time, stopping once the dough has come together without crumbling. Briefly and gently knead the dough with your hands and then flatten it into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge.
For the filling: Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the asparagus and blanch for a minute or two. Remove from the water and set aside.
Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic, cooking until softened. Add the spinach and cook until it is wilted, but still green—just a couple of minutes.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the eggs and heavy cream. Add 3/4 cup of the shredded cheese as well as the cayenne, salt, and pepper.
To assemble: Place the chilled dough between two sheets of plastic wrap and roll it out into an even circle slightly larger than the size of your tart pan. Using your rolling pin to help, carefully wrap the dough around it and transfer to the tart pan, trimming the edges of extra dough.
In the dough-filled tart pan, evenly distribute the spinach/shallot/garlic mixture over the bottom. Pour in the cream mixture, slightly stirring to make sure everything’s well-distributed. Arrange the asparagus around the top in a circular pattern and then top with the remaining 1/4 cup of cheese.
Place the quiche in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until a nice golden brown.
Allow to cool for about 10 minutes before serving.
GOSH! This is killing me! I believe that I have just discovered the perfect quiche! Great shots, almost edible!
That looks so good, Koci! My hubby won't eat asparagus (I love it!). I figure I could put in some ham and do ham/cheese. I need to get my tart pan out of the cupboard and use it!!
What a beautiful asparagus wheel! Quiche are such a great fall comfort food. They really pack it all into one perfect dish!
This looks ah-mahzing! Such asparagus! Such photography! Such yumminess! This recipe is a winner!
I think you are insulting cheese to call that crap in lunchables "cheese" or even "food"
this looks really good, I might give it a try, minus the shallots.
koci koci koci, shall i compare your quiche to a summer's day, thou art surely more lovely and more temperate….truly, this looks a.m.a.z.i.n.g. maybe the plural of asparagus could be asparagii?? haha.
I have a bunch of asparagus in the fridge to make asparagus risotto but I might have to save some for this! I love quiches! And thanks for sharing the step by step pictures because it's really clear how to make the wonderful design
@Angie's Recipes: hahaha Thank you!
@Wendy: This would totally work as a ham and cheese quiche. In fact, you can pretty much customize the filling however you'd like! 🙂
@Rachel: Thank you! I heart quiches. hehehe
@Becky: Thanks! 😀
@Drackar: haha So true! If you're not a shallot person, you can always use regular onions, or omit them of course.
@mangiabella: I love your asparagii poem! 😀
@Sara: Oooh, tough choice! Asparagus risotto sounds really good, too! Thanks!
This looks soooo amazing!!!! Asparagus is the greatest veggie ever!!!! I am going to make this this week. And I like that it isn't too eggy. I'm burnt out on eggs.
P.S. – You aren't weird. Remember high school? Everyone else was weird. We were awesome!!
I cherish asparagus season – so short, but so magical!
i think i'll just eat straight out of the picture…hehehe…i loved your "you can never have too much cheese" how much ever cheese,its never too much… 🙂
Wow this quiche looks amazing!! And anything that pairs shallots, garlic, and asparagus is a sure menu addition for me. Yum.
<3Marea @ TheFoodieFixx.blogspot.com
I love quiche and I love asparagus!!! What a wonderful treat!! I love that your blog has nice and large pictures that just POP UP on my screen looking delightfully delicious 🙂
girl, you knocked it out of the park with this one. I've been craving quiche for months now, but I resist because the hubs can eat eggs…they don't like him if you know what I mean. But I may just make this all for me and eat it all week long for lunch. I bet the kids would even like it. Absolutely gorgeous.
Fantastic.
Perfect for dinner
Thanks!
Koci, that looks amazing! Really gorgeous photos, and packed full of goodness too.
Marvellous quiche, I love asparagus. I love quiche too.
Kisses