A nutty wholemeal crust, creamy custard and fresh green vegetables combine to make this light, but flavoursome vegetarian spring quiche recipe. Expect tender asparagus, sweet peas, spring onions and fragrant chives in every bite. Pair it with buttery new potatoes and a feisty watercress salad for a satisfying meal, or enjoy a slice alongside a crisp salad for a light and refreshing lunch.
Prep Time40 minutesmins
Cook Time40 minutesmins
Course: Brunch, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: British
Keyword: asparagus, chives, eggs, pastry, peas, spring
In a large bowl, rub the flour, salt and butter together with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
200 g wholemeal flour, 1 pinch fine sea or rock salt, 115 g unsalted butter
Make a well in the centre and add the yoghurt and water. Using a round bladed knife, stir from the inside out until the mixture more or less comes together. If it needs a little more water, add it, but be careful not to make the pastry wet.
2 tbsp natural yogurt, 1 tbsp water
Bring it all together with your hands and form it into a ball. Flatten it slightly, then place it back in the bowl and cover it with a plate or plastic so the pastry doesn't dry out. Leave in a cool place to rest for half an hour.
Filling
Thaw the peas if using frozen ones.
75 g peas
Snap off the woody ends of the asparagus spears, then cut them into four or five pieces.
100 g asparagus spears
Fry them in the oil over a moderate heat for two to three minutes to soften them.
½ tsp olive oil
Meanwhile, finely slice the spring onions. Add them to the pan and fry for a further minute. The spring onions should be translucent but not browned. Remove the pan from the heat.
2 spring onions (scallions)
Finely snip the chives and either cut or crumble the goat's cheese into small pieces.
12 chives, 75 g soft goat’s cheese
Custard
Using a fork, whisk the eggs together with the salt and pepper in a suitably sized jug or bowl. Add the cream and milk and whisk again until smooth.
2 large eggs, ¼ tsp fine sea or rock salt, good grinding of black pepper, 125 ml double cream, 75 ml milk
Assembly
Set the oven to 180℃ (160℃ fan, 350℉, Gas 4).
Roll the pastry out into a circle of about 4mm (a bit more than an ⅛ inch) in thickness. Using the rolling pin, lift it up and lay it over a lightly greased 23 cm (9″) loose bottom tart tin. Press the pastry into the tin with your fingers making sure it fits into all the grooves. Trim the edges with a knife.
Lay the asparagus and spring onions over the base in an even layer, then add the peas. Scatter the chives over the top, followed by the cheese.
Gently pour the egg mix over everything.
Bake in the centre of the oven for 40-45 minutes or until the top is set, golden and nicely risen. It will deflate and become flat as it cools.
Allow to stand for five to ten minutes before serving. Eat warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Although it doesn't really need it, if you like a crisp pastry bottom, you'll need to bake the pastry shell for ten to fifteen minutes prior to adding the filling.Particularly good served with new potatoes and a fresh spring watercress salad.Use any pastry trimmings to make cinnamon swirls.You’ll find additional tips and info about this recipe in the main body of the post.Please note: calories and other nutritional information are per serving. They’re approximate and will depend on serving size and exact ingredients used. Please refer to my nutrition disclaimer for further information.