Green Asparagus & Bacon Quiche

Before starting this Green Asparagus and Bacon Quiche recipe, organise the necessary ingredients for the shortcrust pastry.

For the shortcrust pastry:Place the flour and salt in the stand mixer recipient.

Add the soft butter...

... and mix the ingredients with the flat beater...

... until you obtain a crumbly consistency.

Add the egg yolk...

... and a little bit of water.

Combine with the flat beater...

... until you get a consistency that neither too firm nor too soft (add more water if necessary). The dough should be soft without sticking to your fingers.

Stop the beater when the dough is homogeneous.

The shortcrust pastry is ready.

Flour your kitchen worktop...

... and place the dough on the floured surface.

Work the dough (stretching and regathering) to obtain a homogeneous consistency. This operation aims to get rid of any unincorporated chunks of butter left inside the dough.

Shape the dough into a ball and wrap with cling film.

Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. The shortcrust pastry can be prepared the day before and stored in the fridge overnight.

Take the shortcrust pastry out of the fridge and roll out on a floured surface using a rolling pin to a thickness of 3 or 4mm.

Roll out the dough to a round shape.

Wrap the pastry around the rolling pin.

Arrange a mousse ring Ø 20cm on a Silpat baking mat, placed on top of a Silichef XL perforated baking sheet.

Place the shortcrust pastry over the stainless steel ring...

... and line the inside of the ring with the pastry. There's no need to grease the ring.

Ease the pastry in the angles at the base of the ring.

Slide the rolling pin over the ring to cut the pastry excess.

Make sure the pastry perfectly lines the sides of the ring. Store in the fridge or in the freezer. This is essential to get optimal baking results.

For the filling: Place the bacon lardons in a hot non stick frying pan. There's no need to add fat to the pan.

Brown the bacon for a few minutes, stirring regularly.

When cooked, pass the bacon through a fine sieve to get rid of the fat excess.

Cut the asparagus into small sticks to a length of 4cm. Discard the base stem of the asparagus. The sticks should be a bright green.

Place the asparagus sticks in a saucepan with boiling water.

Bring to a boil and cook for 5 to 8 minutes. Use the tip of a knife to check whether the asparagus are cooked. Make sure the asparagus are not overcooked, otherwise they will squash too easily. When cooked, transfer the asparagus into a large bowl filled with cold water and ice to fix the green colour.

Transfer the bacon into the shortcrust pastry case...

... and spread them evenly.

Arrange the asparagus sticks vertically into tight rows over the bacon.

The asparagus should be spread evenly, filling most of the space. You will need about two bunches of asparagus to fill a ring with a diameter of 20cm. You can get a third bunch to make sure you don't run out.

For the quiche batter: Place the whole eggs and egg yolks in a mixing bowl.

Add the whipping cream...

.. and the whole milk.

Season with salt...

... and Espelette pepper (or ground pepper).

Mix the preparation with a Bamix hand blender. You can also use a hand whisk. I prefer using a hand blender for a more homogeneous result.

Add the grated nutmeg, using a Microplane Classic zester grater.

Mix again until incorporated.

Pour the batter over the asparagus...

... and leave a gap of 3 or 4 mm on top.

Place in a fan-assisted oven preheated at 180°C (gas 4)...

... and bake for 35 to 40 minutes (depending on the type of oven).

When cooked, remove from the oven and leave to cool at room temperature.

While the quiche is still warm, slice a knife blade between the shortcrust pastry and the ring.

Slide the ring upwards to release the quiche carefully.

The green asparagus and bacon quiche is ready. It is delicious served warm or cold. Bon appétit!