Asparagus Tomato Quiche

Quiche is such a wonderful meal and a perfect light supper with a green salad. I love to make my own crust and although it takes a little extra effort, it’s well worth it. This quiche has all the flavors of spring. Baking the crust before you bake the quiche assures a crispier crust and a delicious quiche.

Ingredients:

for pâte brisée (crust):

• 1 1/4  cup flour (I love Bob’s Red Mill Pastry flour)
• 1 stick unsalted, cold butter, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon vodka
• 3-4 tablespoons iced water

for filling:

• 12 ounces fresh asparagus spears
• 1 medium onion finely chopped
• 1 pint cherry or San marzano tomatoes, diced
• 14 ounces whole ricotta cheese
• 4 large eggs
• 3 ounces finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon Greek seasoning
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, plus sprigs for garnish
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

for pâte brisée: In a food processor, using the pastry blade, add flour and salt and pulse to combine. Add diced butter and pulse until flour and butter combine to form pea-size crumbs. Add vodka and water, a tablespoon at a time with motor running, until pastry gathers in the processor and forms into a ball. Wrap pastry in plastic wrap and flatten into a disk. Refrigerate for at least an hour and overnight if making ahead. Remove quiche pastry from refrigerator and roll out into a large circle. Transfer pastry into a 9/2 inch tart with removable bottom. Preheat oven to 375. Place tart in freezer for about 15 minutes. Line the tart pan with parchment paper and pie weights and bake for 30 minutes. Carefully remove weights and parchment and cook crust an additional 15 minutes until crust is golden (you can prick shell with tines of fork if it puffs up at all). Remove crust from oven and allow to cool while you prepare the filling. Leave oven on while you prepare filling.

for filling: in a small saucepan, heat butter on medium heat and sauté onions and thyme with a bit of salt and pepper for about 7 minutes until tender and fragrant. Place onions in the bottom of cooled tart shell. Trim the bottoms of the asparagus spears. Whisk together the ricotta, eggs, Parmesan, seasoning, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until incorporated and smooth. Arrange half the asparagus spears in the tart shell, laying them all in one direction from top to bottom with half of the diced tomato. Use about three quarters of the ricotta mixture over the asparagus, covering the spears as evenly as possible. Arrange the remaining asparagus on top in the opposite direction to make sure that each end slice of quiche will have both tops and bottoms. Add the remaining ricotta mixture and tomato and spread it evenly. Bake until puffed and golden brown, about 20 to 30 minutes. Let cool at least 10 minutes before slicing. Can be served warm at room temperature. Enjoy!