Pâte brisée (savory tarte crust) ingredients:
1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour (or you can use whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup unsalted butter (4 ounces or one stick), chilled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 to 3 tablespoon ice water
Quiche filling ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter or 3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1 bunch of asparagus, cut into 1.5” pieces (save a few whole to decorate the top)
3 cloves garlic, minced
Zest of one lemon
One bunch fresh herbs: your choice of dill, fennel fonds, mint, chervil, chives, parsley…)
6 eggs
1 cup creme fraiche or full fat yogurt
Salt & pepper
5 ounces feta
Method:
- Make the crust first: In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade attachment, pulse flour and salt until combined.
- Add cold butter pieces and pulse until mixture resembles sand.
- Add 2 tablespoons of ice water and process of 1 minute, stopping when your dough comes together in a single mass. If after 1 minute, it’s still not coming together, add another 1/2 tablespoon of ice water and process until your dough has formed a mass.
- Take you dough out of the processor and you have 2 choices: 1/ flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 1-2 hours before rolling out (recommended for novice bakers, or if your dough is very sticky) OR 2/ roll out your dough immediately.
- To roll your dough: Use ample flour under and over dough and roll to a 1/8” thickness, lifting and turning the dough as you go so it’s uniform and round shape.
- Generously butter your 9.5” pyrex pie pan. Carefully lift and place your crust dough onto your pan. Carefully pat it down into place. Use a fork to poke holes all around the bottom and sides. This helps release steam as it cooks.
- Trim and crimp your edges, as you like.
- Put the whole thing in the freezer for at least 2 hours.
- When you’re ready to blind bake your crust: Preheat oven to 400F and place rack in center of oven. Line the unbaked pastry shell with parchment paper. Fill tart or pie pan with pie weights, rice, beans, or pennies making sure the weights are to the top of the pan and evenly distributed over the entire surface. Bake crust for about 25 minutes or until the crust is dry and lightly browned. Remove weights and cool crust.
- When you’re ready to make your filling and bake your quiche: Preheat oven to 350F.
- Sauté onion in butter or olive oil. When it’s soft, add garlic and asparagus and cook on medium/low until just tender.
- In a bowl whisk together eggs and creme fraiche. Stir in feta, chopped herbs, and lemon zest; season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Place the sautéed veggies (minus the whole asparagus you reserved) into the pie crust.
- Pour your egg mixture over the veggies and decorate the top with your reserved asparagus.
- Place the pie pan onto a baking sheet and into the oven for approximately 45-60 minutes. It is done when the top is no longer moist or wet, and it jiggles in the middle like a firm cheese cake.
- After it cools, store in the fridge covered in plastic. Good warm, at room temperature or even cold from the fridge.