Can't wait for my delicious Asparagus and Pesto Quiche Recipe? Click on the Jump to Recipe link... Everyone else- keep on reading...
Can it be?? Is it really? Why yes.. it IS! Spring is finally here!! (well, nearly)
And you know what Spring means?
Spring means ASPARAGUS SEASON... (just picture me running around, arms flailing like Kermit the Frog in excitement)
YAYAYAAAAAYYYY!!!
I love Asparagus. Seriously. Love. It. And it always tastes better when it's in season locally and hasn't traveled across the globe to get to us, which means that Spring ushers in a bazillion ways to eat my favourite green spears.
The other thing that I love about Spring is that we can finally start thinking about eating outdoors. Whether on the patio with a G&T or in the park with some friends. As soon as the sun comes out, I'm keen to see as much of it as I possibly can.
This means that picnic food and delicious bites that can be made ahead and eaten at room temperature as the fancy takes us suddenly becomes my main food focus. The sort of food that you can easily pass around to be eaten with fingers, or with a crisp salad and some crusty bread. It's also the sort of food that wouldn't go astray if you had to head indoors quickly because the weather has turned. Elegant, tasty and easy to prepare. Like this Asparagus and Pesto Quiche!
I had thought that once I decided to become vegan that my quiche days were behind me, however, with a few little tricks, that aren't any more difficult than making a regular quiche, I now have the template for a delicious quiche, that can make the most of the season's produce.
By all means, buy the shortcrust pastry for this if you can't quite get your head around making your own, but I do promise you, that this crust is a doddle to make, and is made even tastier by the addition of some nutritional yeast for a deliciously savoury crust.
Use whatever pesto you have hanging around in this (vegan, obvs!) A few tablespoons of shop bought pesto are delicious, however if you're lucky enough to have some wild garlic growing nearby and have been clever enough to make your own wild garlic pesto- then use that for the ultimate Spring experience.
Vegan Asparagus & Pesto Quiche
Ingredients Note:
For accuracy, I measure all ingredients in metric as standard, then convert and test the recipe for American cup measurements etc.
(Heads up Aussie and UK readers- your measurements in cups are sometimes different, so please use metric or check you have the correct cup and spoon type!!)
Ingredients
For the Pastry
- 250 g plain flour
- 1-2 ice cubes cube or 1-2 Tbs very cold water
- 100 g filtered (deodorised) coconut oil (this avoids the coconutty taste) (make sure the coconut oil is solid- or leave in the fridge until it is hard.)
- 1 Tbs nutritional yeast
For the Filling
- 1 box silken (soft) tofu
- 1 bunch asparagus (finely sliced with the tips reserved)
- 3 Tbs gram flour
- 1 Tbs nutritional yeast
- 2 Tbs pesto
- 2-3 Tbs water
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
For the Pastry
- In a food processor or in bowl using a fork (or cold fingers) , mix the coconut oil into the flour until it resembles fine crumbs
- Add the ice water until you have a ball of dough
- Rest the dough in the fridge for around half an hour (this helps keep the dough crispy later)
- Grease your tins (loose bottom tins work best) T
- Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 6 (220C)
- Roll out the dough and line your tins with the dough, trimming off an excess, then prick the dough in the tins all over with a fork
- Put the tins with the pastry into the oven for around 10 mins until the pastry starts to colour a little and is cooked through. Remove from the oven.
For the Quiche Filling
- Finely slice the asparagus stems, up until just before the tips. Leave the tips whole for
- In a food processor whizz together all the other filling ingredients to form a smooth paste.
- Mix in the sliced asparagus stems, then fill each of the pre-prepared pastry shells.
- Arrange the tips over the top of each quiche in a pretty way
- Put the quiches in the oven, for around 10-15 minutes until the filling is set and the sides are slightly golden.
- Serve hot, or at room temperature.
