Take-out Tuesday, Spring has Sprung Puff Pie

the Painted Apron

1 month ago

Celebrate Spring’s arrival with a delicious Puff Pastry Pie!

It is filled with asparagus, leeks and pancetta

and topped with cheese

It is basically a quiche baked in a springform pan

and the puff pastry crust takes it to a new level of enjoyment

Roll out one sheet of thawed puff pastry dough

to thin it out a little and enlarge it to fit the springform pan

Trim it and use the trimmed pieces to form a circular crust,

pressing the dough into the springform pan bottom and sides

Saute the pancetta to render the fat

Then saute the leeks in the rendered fat

Put the sauteed pancetta and leeks into the crust

Sprinkle with 1/2 of cheese

Trim tough ends off asparagus, rinse and wrap in a kitchen towel

Microwave on high for 2 minutes and unwrap immediately

to prevent further cooking and place it on top of the leeks

Top with remaining cheese

Wrap the bottom of the springform pan with foil to prevent leaks

Beat eggs into milk or cream

and season mixture with salt & pepper

Pour over vegetables and cheese in the pan

Bake until golden and set in the middle

Let sit for 10 minutes then open pan and release pie

Serve and enjoy!

Spring Has Sprung Puff Pie

This is a quiche made with puff pastry instead of pie crust, a wonderful way to celebrate Spring! Serve it for brunch, dinner or a side dish

Course Brunch, Main Course, Side Dish

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 45

Servings 6

Equipment

9 or 10 inch springform pan

Ingredients

1 sheet puff pastry thawed*
4 oz. chopped pancetta
1 large leek
1 bunch asparagus 20-24 spears
4 oz. Manchego cheese grated
4 large eggs
1 cup milk or half and half or cream
salt and pepper
olive oil
1 tsp butter
pinch sugar

Instructions

Gently stretch dough to thin it out and enlarge it to fit your pan. Place dough in a cooking oil sprayed spring form pan, quiche dish or casserole. Trim off square corners with scissors and use scraps to patch dough to fit pan and make crust.
Saute pancetta in skillet over medium heat, about 5 minutes or until crisp. Drain well on paper towels. Put pancetta on top of crust bottom
Clean leek carefully and slice thinly, discarding the large outer green stalks. Saute in skillet in the rendered pacetta fat, adding a little butter and olive oil if needed. Add a pinch of sugar. Saute leeks over medium until they start to caramelize, about 10 minutes. Put leeks on top of pancetta in crust. Sprinkle with 1/2 of cheese.
Snap off tough ends of asparagus and rinse. Wrap stalks in a clean dish towel and microwave on high for 2 minutes. Remove from towel and arrange on top of crust. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
Pie can be covered and refrigerated at this point until baking.
Beat eggs, add milk and combine. Season with salt and pepper. Pour into crust letting mixture seep into all the nooks and crannies. Add more liquid if necessary. Bake at 375 for 45-60 minutes until golden and set in the center. Let sit 10 minutes before cutting. Makes 4-6 servings

Notes

*Puff pastry should be thawed in the refrigerator or for 40-60 minutes max at room temperature for ease in handling. If pastry gets too warm it will stick together and be a hot mess to work with.

Cover the outside bottom of spring form pan with foil, just in case, and cook on a baking sheet so it can’t leak out into your oven.