Super Simple Summer Quiche

Hi there, Happy Hump Day (that’s midweek for those of you who don’t know!) it’s downhill to the weekend from here! 

It’s defo time I shared a recipe here. 

So here’s my favourite go-to simple summer quiche

This version ( I have many ;)) uses our delicious British asparagus to kick-start the Summer. 

I don’t know about you, but when I think of Summer, I think of quiche and the freshest, crispiest salad. 

Understandably, it’s probably not most people’s immediate thought… Perhaps you think more about the flowers, new leaves or sunny weather. But I’m nearly always thinking about new recipe ideas and the seasonal fruit and vegetables that celebrate the best of our Summer months. 

We don’t have to think about seasonal eating anymore, as we can buy almost everything all year round. The supermarkets can supply us with strawberries in December and leeks in mid-summer, despite them being ‘out of season’. 

When the Summer arrives, then we can truly enjoy the fresh tastes that the new season brings. The longer warmer days, allow our gardens to flourish, the grass to grow and our fruit trees to bear fruit. 

I see quiche as a perfect dish to use up many fresh seasonal ingredients. 

For this recipe, I’m going to do exactly that, using asparagus to create a quiche fit for Summer picnicking, al fresco feasting, or just for tucking in at the table. The season for British asparagus is short, it’s just a few weeks long, between the 23rd April,  through to the 21st June. 

That’s just 8 ½ weeks long, so make the most of it!

INGREDIENTS 

Preparation and cooking time: roughly 70 minutes.

Serves: at least 8 people.

300gshortcrust pastry (store-bought or make your own!)

Plain flour, for dusting

1 pack asparagus

1 red onion – chopped 

80g mature cheddar

40g parmesan cheese

4 eggs

400ml milk  or double cream or a mix of both 

Just like the one pot or the humble pie, the quiche is simple and made with the simplest ingredients. For this recipe, I’m using just asparagus and red onion, but really, this can act as the basis for a quiche of any kind. Feel free to go wild! Just stick to the egg/milk ratio 🙂

METHOD

Preheat your oven to 180°C/Fan or 160°C/Gas 4. 

To make the quiche, roll out your pastry and fold over your quiche tin, making sure that there are no holes in the pastry or your egg mixture will escape all over your oven and make a right old mess.  If necessary, trim any excess pastry that you find hanging over the edge of the tin.

To blind-bake the pastry, top it with a large sheet of baking paper and then fill it with baking beans to weigh it down. Alternatively, if you don’t have baking beans, fill instead with rice or lentils or any dried foods that are able to fill the surface and weigh it down. Once weighted down, blind bake for 15 minutes. 

While the clock is ticking, bring a large pan of water to the boil.

Snap the woody ends from the asparagus (save these for later to make homemade vegetable stock!) and boil the asparagus for 2 minutes. 

Remove them and drop them into ice water to stop the cooking process.

Grate your cheddar and parmesan, keeping them separate. 

Beat the eggs, and add them to the milk or cream, with a good pinch of salt and a nice crack of black pepper (to your taste, I like a lot), mix well with half the cheddar and half your parmesan. 

15 minutes up? 

Remove the pastry from the oven and very carefully lift out the paper & baking beans. Then pop the pastry back in the oven, uncovered, for 10 minutes until it reaches a lovely golden, sunrise colour. If you have time, you can give it an egg wash that seals the pastry to avoid a soggy bottom!

Once your pastry crust is ready, start sprinkling the remaining cheddar over its base, before arranging your blanched asparagus in any fancy way you like. Then, carefully pour in your creamy mixture. Finish with a flourish of your remaining parmesan atop the mix for a crispy, cheesy surface.

Get your quiche in the oven and bake it for 20-25 minutes until your filling comes to a light golden colour. It should still have a very slight wobble when you gently shake it. 

Make sure to leave it to cool for at least 5 minutes before slicing and serving. 

And of course, feel free to fridge for cold serving at a later date or time (up to 3 days after baking). I love my quiche warm with a side of coleslaw, I’d eat coleslaw with every meal if I’m totally honest. 

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