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Asparagus & pancetta quiche
Serves 4 PREP 25 mins. COOK 40 mins. plus 1 hr cooling May is the height of the asparagus season, so these green stems should be eaten at every opportunity. This tart is perfect for picnics if the weather is good or a lazy lunch indoors if it’s not.
INGREDIENTS 250g19oz shortcrust pastry 250g/9oz bunch of asparagus, trimmed 1 40g pack pancetta cubetti 2 tbsp snipped chives 2 egg yolks and 1 egg, beaten 250g pot crème fraIche 85g/3oz goat’s cheese, crumbled
1. Heat oven to 200c / fan 18Oc I gas 6 Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface so it is the thickness of a £1 coin. Use it to line a rectangular 15cm x 30cm fluted tartlet tin, press into the corners, and trim off the extra pastry. Prick the base all over with a fork and chill for about 15 mins. Line with parchment paper and baking beans, then place in the oven for 8 mins.
Remove the beans and parchment
paper, then return to the oven for 8 mins or until the pastry turns
golden and crisp. 2 To prepare the filling, first cook the asparagus for 2 mins in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until just tender, then drain well. Cook the pancetta over a medium heat in a dry frying pan until crisp, then drain off the fat. Mix with the remaining ingredients and pour into the pastry case. Top with the asparagus. Bake for 20 mins until set around the edges, then turn off the oven and allow to cool for 1 hour. If short of time, turn the oven down to 150c / fan 130c / gas 2 and cook for a further 20-25 mins until the quiche is set with just a slight wobble in the middle. Turning the oven off and letting the quiche cool, a bit like a cheesecake, makes for a perfectly set quiche and ensures that the eggs don’t overcook.
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