Asparagus And Crispy Prosciutto Quiche

Ideal for springtime, an asparagus and crispy prosciutto quiche with a savoury egg custard filling and flaky shortcrust pastry shell.

Who doesn't love asparagus season! This asparagus and crispy prosciutto quiche is delicious served hot or cold and makes the perfect dish for a casual lunch party, picnic or light supper with salad.

Asparagus and prosciutto is a favourite flavour combination of mine, especially with the added chopped fresh mint. The quiche filling is so quick to make and you can also use store-bought shortcrust pastry if you don't want to make your own (or don't have time). I serve this asparagus and prosciutto quiche with a simple dressed salad.

If you're looking for other asparagus recipes, try this easy asparagus tart with comte cheese.

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Substitutions
• Equipment
• Storage
• Top tip
• Asparagus And Crispy Prosciutto Quiche

Ingredients

Here is what you will need to make this asparagus and prosciutto quiche

• Asparagus
• Prosciutto
• Fresh mint
• Butter
• Plain flour
• Water
• Eggs
• Double cream / heavy cream
• Milk
• Salt and pepper

See the recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Celsius / 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Make your shortcrust pastry by sieving the flour and a large pinch of sea salt into a bowl and adding the cold butter in small chunks.

Rub the butter and flour together using your fingertips together until it looks like breadcrumbs, with no visible big bits of butter that aren't rubbed into the flour. Do this quickly, as we don't want to overwork the mixture and for the butte to heat up and melt.

In a small glass, mix the egg yolk with the water and begin adding it tablespoon by tablespoon to the flour/butter mixture.

Let it start to come together gradually, and keep adding tablespoons of the egg/water until you have a ball of pastry dough that has a slight sheen to it and any dry crumbs have been incorporated. It shouldn't be wet or too soft.

Roll the pastry out into a large circle and line a tart tin with it, leaving some overhang around the edges in case it contracts when baking. Prick the base of the shortcrust pastry a few times all over it with a fork.

Line the inside of the pastry case with a baking paper cartouche and fill with baking beads (or use uncooked rice if you don't have any). This stops the pastry from rising.

Blind bake the shortcrust pastry case on an oven tray for 20 minutes, then remove the baking beads and put the pastry case back in the oven for a further 5-10 minutes until it is cooked through and a light golden brown. The base of the pastry case should feel dry and not spongey to touch.

Meanwhile, bring a saucepan of salted water to a rolling boil.

Cut your asparagus spears into 1-inch pieces and blanch them in the boiling water for 1 minute before immediately removing them to a bowl of ice-cold water to halt the cooking process.

Heat some cooking oil in a frying pan and fry the prosciutto slices until they are dark and crispy. Drain the crispy prosciutto on kitchen paper, then break into small pieces.

Turn the oven down to 180 degrees Celsius / 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Using a vegetable peeler, shave off the excess shortcrust pastry from the edge of the case.

Now, make your asparagus and crispy prosciutto quiche filling.

In a large bowl, mix the cream, milk, egg and egg yolk and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Strain the savoury custard through a sieve into a jug.

Finely slice your mint leaves and stir into the quiche filling mixture.

Place half your asparagus and crispy prosciutto into the shortcrust pastry case, and pour half of the savoury egg custard quiche filling on top. Repeat and try and fill the shortcrust pastry quiche case as high as you can without it spilling over the edge. It helps to do this with the baking tray already on the oven tray pulled out of the oven slightly.

Bake the asparagus and crispy prosciutto quiche for 25 - 30 minutes until the filling is set and starting to souffle up in the middle.

Remove the asparagus and crispy prosciutto quiche from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving, or refrigerate until ready to eat. It can be enjoyed hot or cold, but if eating it cold then it is best served at room temperature so take it out of the fridge 30 minutes before serving.

Hint: The shavings of leftover flaky pastry from the overhang can be crushed and sprinkled over ice cream or yoghurt with fruit as a delicious and easy dessert.

Substitutions

Here are a few ways you can adapt this asparagus and crispy prosciutto quiche recipe to suit you.

• Other cured meats - you could use parma or serano ham instead
• Dairy free - use nut or oat milks and creams instead
• Herbs - try adding other herbs like parsley or chives

Equipment

• Mixing bowl
• Saucepan
• Sieve
• Jug
• 8 inch loose base tart tin
• Baking tray
• Frying pan

Got a different size quiche tin? Here's a handy conversion chart for making the right amount of pastry.

Storage

Store any leftover quiche in the fridge and consume within 2-3 days.

This asparagus and crispy prosciutto quiche can be frozen once cooked and kept for up to a month.

Top tip

If there are any holes or cracks in your shortcrust pastry case after blind baking, crush up some of the overhang and mix it with egg yolk to form a paste. You can use it to plug any holes! Simply paste it over the hole and then pop back in the oven for a few minutes for it to bake into place.