Asparagus and ham quiche with shortcrust pastry

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 250 g flour
• 125 g butter
• 1 tsp salt
• 80 ml water or 1 egg yolk + 2 tbsp water
• 500 g asparagus
• 1 bottle of dry white wine
• 3 eggs
• 200 g herb cream cheese
• 50 ml cream
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 bunch of chives
• 5 slices of cooked ham
• salt and pepper

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Rest time approx. 2 hours; Total time approx. 2 hours 30 minutes

Combine the flour and salt in a bowl. Scatter the butter in pieces over the flour, chop it up with a knife, and mix it into the flour until the mixture is crumbly. Rub the crumbs with your fingers until all the flour is combined. Now knead the ice-cold water into the dough. Not too much, as the dough must be homogenous and not sticky. Otherwise, place the egg yolk in the center of the butter-flour mixture and knead it in with 2 tablespoons of cold water. Quickly form the dough into a ball, wrap it in cling film, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight. Meanwhile, peel the asparagus and cut it into small pieces. Pour the white wine into a large pan (preferably coated) until it comes about halfway up the pan. Heat and cook the asparagus for about 15 minutes, stirring gently. Add more white wine frequently. The liquid will begin to evaporate during cooking, and the flavor of the wine will permeate the asparagus. At the end of the cooking time, there should be no wine left in the pan. Remove from the heat immediately so the asparagus doesn’t burn. Allow the asparagus to cool completely. The asparagus should still have a little bite as it will continue to cook in the oven. In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs with cream cheese, cream, salt, pepper, lemon juice and finely chopped chives. Dice the ham and add to the sauce. Fold in the asparagus pieces. Line a greased quiche dish with the pastry, spread the topping on top and put it in the oven. If you like the pastry a little crispier, pre-bake it for 10 minutes. Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for about 40 minutes. Cover with aluminum foil shortly before the end to prevent the quiche from getting too brown. As a starter, this serves 6 people.