A delicious, easy asparagus pie that pairs the gentle flavor of fresh asparagus with lots and lots of creamy, gorgeous manchego cheese. The best cheesy asparagus pie recipe ever!
Asparagus is like the precursor of all the seasonal summer delicacies that will follow it, and it is the veggie I most look forward to eating when the early spring months come, its taste like an actual promise of sunshine, warm weather and summer.
Just yesterday bunches of asparagus spears seemed to yell from the supermarket shelf: look how fat and tall and juicy we are, winter’s butt has officially been kicked! I just couldn’t help but bring some home and make some getting-ready-for-summer good stuff. If you have been looking for a superbly tasty, cheesy asparagus pie recipe, keep reading – you will be glad you tried this one!
There are a gazillion ways to prepare asparagus, but here is my absolute favorite; a delicious savory pie that pairs the gentle flavor of the asparagus with lots and lots of creamy, gorgeous manchego cheese. I wanted to keep this cheesy asparagus pie recipe simple in order to let the asparagus really shine, and not cram the pie full of competing flavors.
This asparagus pie has a buttery soft and pliable crust which goes along great with the subtle harmony of the flavors. The cayenne and black pepper add some nice sharpness and the filling is just so beautifully moist and full of flavor that you will not be able to stop after the first slice.
The one thing that should be avoided is overcooking the spears, which will make them all chewy and sad. Just drop them into water that has been brought to a rolling boil, let them cook only 3-4 minutes depending on the thickness of the spears and swiftly toss them into ice water to immediately stop the cooking process.
They are ready to take the ice water dip when their color has turned into bright green and a sharp knife goes through without resistance. Also, patting them dry after they have cooled is important to prevent any sogginess.
This pretty pie is so easy to make, as you can make the dough the day before so you can have a warm, fresh breakfast pie in the morning without any actual hard work or hassle, which is always appreciated in my house.
Mornings should be dedicated to enjoying life and great breakfast food, not cleaning up a floury mess and waiting for a dough to rise seven times with an empty stomach. So go on and make yourself a great little 5-minute pie dough today and have an excellent breakfast tomorrow!
Asparagus Manchego Pie (aka The Best Cheesy Asparagus Pie Recipe Ever)
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE CRUST:
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 stick cold butter
4 tablespoons ice cold water
FOR THE FILLING:
¾ cup heavy cream
1 ¼ cups finely grated manchego cheese
3 eggs
½ teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper
dash of cayenne pepper
8-10 spears of fresh asparagus
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Combine flour, salt and sugar in a bowl. Cut the cold butter into small cubes and put cubes in the flour mixture. Working quickly with your fingers, rub the butter into the flour until you have a texture of a coarse meal with a few small pea-sized bits.
2. Drizzle the water in the bowl and mix to incorporate the ingredients. Quickly form the dough into a ball and then flatten it into a disc shape and tightly cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least an hour, or overnight.
3. Wash the asparagus spears to remove any loose dirt. Bend each spear with your hands to separate the woody, chewy lower parts from the juicy tops; the spear will snap in half on the spot where the woody part begins, usually 1/3 of the length from the bottom.
4. Fill a bowl with ice cold water, preferably with some ice cubes, set aside. Blanche the spears in boiling water for 3-4 minutes, until they are bright green in color. Do not overcook.
5. Drain the asparagus spears and promptly place in the bowl of cold water to stop the cooking process. After they are cool, remove from water and gently pat dry with a kitchen towel. Slice every spear in half lengthwise with a sharp knife and set aside.
6. Preheat the oven to 400° F. When the dough is ready to be baked, roll it out on a floured working surface until you have a roundish shape roughly the size of a 9 inch pie dish. Lift it gently on the pie dish and press in place with your fingers.
7. Combine all ingredients of the filling except asparagus and mix to combine thoroughly. Pour the filling on the crust dough, then arrange the spears on top, cut side down.
8. Bake for 25 minutes or until there is some golden brown color on top of the pie and the filling has set. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.