Junior League - Asparagus Chicken Quiche - cooking recipe

Ingredients

Quiche
6 asparagus spears
1 recipe pie pastry (1-crust)
2 tablespoons snipped fresh chives or 2 tablespoons green onion tops
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon flour
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup chopped cooked chicken or 1/2 cup turkey
4 slices crisp-cooked bacon, crumbled
Pastry
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, chopped
1/4 - 1/2 cup ice water

Preparation

For the Quiche, break off the woody ends of the asparagus spears; the spears should be approximately 4 1/2 inches long. Cook the asparagus in boiling water in a saucepan for 5 minutes; drain.
Prepare the pastry, adding the chives or green onion tops with the flour and salt. Roll the dough into a 13-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Fit the pastry into a 10-inch quiche dish; trim the edge. Line the bottom with a double thickness of heavy-duty foil. Bake at 450 degrees for 8 minutes; discard the foil. Bake for 4 to 5 minutes longer or until set and dry. Remove from oven. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees.
Toss the cheese and flour in a bowl. Sprinkle over the hot pastry. Combine the eggs, milk, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix well. Stir in the chicken and bacon.
Pour over the cheese mixture. Arrange the asparagus in a spoke or fan pattern over the top. Bake at 325 degrees for 55 to 60 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
For the pastry, combine the flour, salt and sugar in a food processor. Add the butter gradually, processing constantly for 10 seconds or until crumbly. Add the ice water 1/2 teaspoons at a time, processing constantly until the dough forms a ball. Chill, covered with plastic wrap, for 1 hour.
Roll the dough 1/8 inch thick between sheets of waxed paper. Cut the dough to fit twelve 2 to 3 inch tartlet cups. Fit the dough over the bottoms and up the sides of the cups. The pastry recipe makes enough pastry for two 8 to 10 inch tart or pie shells or one 2 crust pie.