Recipe: Spring Vegetable Quiche

Finally, spring is here! And whether you’re planning a festive meal, or simply excited that winter is finally over, this tart is perfect for any celebratory brunch. It’s loaded with artfully arranged spring veggies that are back in season, such as asparagus, peas and leeks. Chef Shahir threw in some mint, parsley and lemon zest for lots of fresh, light springtime flavour. It’s the perfect dish for vegetarians at the table and you can pair it with a Strawberry Rhubarb Custard Tart for a delicious duo!

Ingredients

• 1 ready-made pie dough
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 bunch thin asparagus, 200g
• ½ cup frozen peas, defrosted
• ½ small leek, thinly sliced
• 6 large eggs
• 1 cup grated Gruyere, divided
• ½ cup whole milk
• 2 cups ricotta cheese (1 tub approx 450g), divided
• ½ lemon, zest
• Handful of fresh parsley, chopped
• Handful of fresh mint, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

Egg Wash:

• 1 egg
• 1 tsp water

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350F.

Dust counter with flour and roll out one pie crust into a rectangle (11x7x1”). Place rolled out dough into your rectangular fluted tart pan, press into the bottom and up the sides. Trim excess and set aside.

Now prepare your vegetables. To thaw frozen peas, soak in room temperature water for a few minutes, then drain and pat dry. For asparagus, rinse and trim off woody ends. For the leek, rinse very well and slice the white and light green parts very thin. Add peas, asparagus and leeks into a medium bowl with olive oil, salt and pepper, toss to coat and set aside.

Finely chop your parsley and mint and transfer to a large bowl along with eggs, milk, 1 cup of ricotta cheese, zest of half a lemon, salt and pepper, whisk until smooth. Transfer into your rectangular pie crust spreading evenly to the sides. Arrange your vegetable mixture over top of the egg and ricotta filling, pressing some down to the bottom and leaving some on top. Use remaining gruyere and ricotta to dollop throughout the tart in a decorative pattern.

Bake in preheated 350F oven for 45-50 minutes or until set and browned but still slightly jiggly in the middle.

Remove from oven and let it set on a cooling rack for about 15 min.

Garnish with torn parsley and mint leaves.