Easy Pancetta Asparagus Quiche
This easy Pancetta Asparagus quiche recipe combines the buttery flakiness of puff pastry with the richness of eggs, cream, and Swiss cheese, all complemented by the delicious flavors of crispy pancetta and tender asparagus. The perfect breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner recipe idea!
At one point in my cooking journey I was on a quiche fad. Anything quiche and I would make it, from a cheese and tomato quiche to a cheesy quiche. All my family had to say was “oh this is good” and I would make it and make it again. Until I would hear “this again”?
So quite a bit of time has passed since I served any kind of Quiche, which is what my youngest daughter said to me the other day. And that is all I needed to hear!
Recipe Ingredients
- Puff pastry – homemade puff pastry or store bought
- Asparagus – cleaned
- Pancetta – chopped pancetta
- Eggs
- Cream – whole, heavy or whipping cream
- Salt
- Pepper
- Swiss Cheese – shredded Swiss cheese
Substitutions and Variations
If you prefer you could use a simple pie pastry such as an olive oil pie dough or a savory pie dough or even a Mediterranean pie dough. Instead of pancetta you could use bacon or even chopped prosciutto di Parma. You could substitute Swiss cheese with gruyere, gouda, fontina, mozzarella or even cheddar.
How to Clean Asparagus
- To clean the asparagus, rinse it well and rub away any dirt.
- Using your fingers, snap off the bottom inch or so of the asparagus stalk, the stems will break easily where the tough part ends and the tender part begins.
- Then dry the spears gently with paper towels.
I actually had some leftover asparagus from re making my Creamy Asparaugus Sausage Pasta the other day. So I decided A delicious pancetta asparagus quiche was the way to go!
And why not try it with a puff pastry base instead of a regular pie crust? I also decided that one of our favourite cheese would be perfect, yes Swiss Cheese! It was so good.
How to make Asparagus Quiche
In a large pot of boiling water cook asparagus until tender, drain and let cool.
In a medium frying pan cook pancetta or bacon until golden. Drain on a paper towel.
In a medium bowl beat together with a fork the eggs, cream, salt and pepper. Then stir in the shredded cheese.
Un roll the pie crust and place in pie plate, trim and crimp edges, brush the bottom of the dough with a little milk and prick with a fork, sprinkle with the cooked pancetta or bacon, and top with tender asparagus.
Pour the egg mixture over the asparagus and bake. Let sit a couple of minutes then serve.
Expert Tips
- If you use frozen puff pastry – You may need to use two sheets, let them thaw then join them together to fit the pan.
- Blind bake the crust: While I don’t feel the need to blind bake my pie shell, you most certainly can and you may find this helps with a soggy, wet crust. Before adding the filling, bake the crust for about 10 minutes. I did not do this step and still had a flaky crust that was buttery and delicious.
- Place the baking dish on a baking tray: This helps catch any quiche that may overflow.
- How to know when quiche is done: The custard mixture will turn golden brown, the middle will be just set and a knife inserted into the center will come out clean.
How to blind bake a pie crust
Start by pre-heating the oven to 350F/180C, prick the bottom of the crust well with the tongs of a fork. Place a piece of parchment paper on top and fill with pie weights, or use dried beans, rice or even sugar, blind bake the crust for about 6-8 minutes then remove the paper and beans, let cool then continue with the recipe.
Can I make this recipe ahead of time?
Yes, you can assemble the puff pastry pancetta asparagus ahead of time and refrigerate it overnight. Bake it when you’re ready to serve.
How Long Can I Store The Quiche?
Store leftover cheese and tomato quiche covered in the refrigerator for up to two days. After that, you can still eat it but the pastry will start to be soggy. Reheat fully or in slices in the oven until heated through.
Can I Freeze Leftover Quiche?
Yes, quiches freeze very well and can be frozen for two months. After baking, cool completely. You can now either freeze your whole quiche or for a convenient meal idea freeze it in slices! Wrap each slice in foil or plastic wrap and then store in a freeze safe container. When ready to serve, remove from the freeze and bake from frozen at 350F/180C or until warmed through.
More Asparagus Recipes you may enjoy!
So if you are like me and it has been forever since you made a quiche. Then why not bake this pancetta asparagus quiche for dinner tonight? Buon Appetito!
Puff Pastry Pancetta Asparagus Quiche
Ingredients
- 1-2 pre made puff pastry pie crust (or regular pie crust if you prefer)
- 1¼ cups chopped asparagus
- ½ cup chopped pancetta or bacon
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup cream whole, whipping or heavy cream
- ¼-½ teaspoon salt
- 1-2 dashes black pepper (optional)
- 2 cups Swiss cheese (shredded)
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350°F (180°C), lightly grease and flour a 9 inch pie plate.
- In a large pot of boiling water cook asparagus until tender (approximately 3-5 minutes), drain and let cool.
- In a medium frying pan cook pancetta or bacon until golden. Drain on a paper towel.
- In a medium bowl beat together with a fork the eggs, cream, salt and pepper. Then stir in the shredded cheese.
- Un roll the thawed puff pastry or pie crust and form in the prepared pie plate, trim and crimp edges, brush the bottom of the dough with a little milk and prick with a fork, sprinkle with the cooked pancetta or bacon, and top with tender asparagus.
- Pour the egg mixture over the asparagus and bake for approximately 35-40 minutes. When done the custard mixture will turn golden brown, the middle will be just set and a knife inserted into the centre will come out clean. Remove from the oven then let sit 3 – 5 minutes then serve. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Updated from March 6, 2018
Dont you have to prebake the pie pastry first?
Hi Brenda, I never blind bake before but if you prefer then you can, blind bake it for about 5-8 minutes. Hope that helps. Take care and have a great weekend!
I love quiche and I can’t wait to try it with a puff pastry.
Thanks so much Mary, I hope you enjoy it.
This was s delicious recipe! In my oven I need to bake longer to ensure the middle is set. I used an 8-1/2″ diameter spring form pan.
Hi Jeff, thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed it. Take care!