small asparagus quiche

piccole quiche agli asparagi

8 servings

To save time, prepare the dough, asparagus and custard one day ahead. Refrigerate them separately and then assemble just before baking.

Pastry dough

• 2 cups, plus 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces
• ¼ cup, plus 1½ tablespoons ice cold water

Filling

• Extra-virgin olive oil
• ¾ pound asparagus, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• Salt
• 1 (7-ounce/200-gram) container plain Greek yogurt
• 5 large egg yolks
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• Freshly ground black pepper

For the dough: In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, combine the flour, salt and pepper; pulse to mix. Add
the butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. With the machine running, add the ice water through the feed tube in a slow, steady stream, just until the dough holds together without being too wet. Do not process more than 30 seconds. Turn out the dough onto a clean work surface, shape into a flattened disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350°. Divide dough into 8 equal pieces. On a lightly floured work surface, roll each piece of dough into a 4¾-inch round, ⅛-inch thick. Fit dough rounds into 8 (4-inch) tart pans with removable bottom, pressing into edges. Line shells with parchment, leaving a 1-inch overhang and fill with pie weights. Place pans on a baking sheet and bake until edges are just beginning to turn light brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove the parchment and weights, and bake until golden, 3 to 5 minutes more. Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the filling: Coat a medium skillet with oil and heat over medium heat. Add the asparagus, onion, ½ cup water, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until asparagus is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Drain any water from the pan, transfer mixture to a plate and cool completely.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt, egg yolks, cheese, and pinch of salt and pepper just until smooth. Stir in asparagus mixture.

To assemble the quiche: Reduce oven temperature to 325°. Fill the tart shells with the asparagus mixture and place on a baking sheet. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until the filling is puffed and set, 18 to 20 minutes. Serve warm.