Asparagus Artichoke Tart with Quinoa Crust

May 3, 2011 · 5 comments

This is a variation of the tomato tart I posted last fall. I have changed the crust to quinoa (an idea that came from my dear friend Iliana – a brilliant home cook!) and given it a spring makeover. We loved it!

Crust:
2 cups cooked quinoa
2 tablespoons pesto
1 tablespoon grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1 large egg
Filling:
3 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup skim milk
4 oz. goat cheese, cut into slices or coarsely crumbled
1/2 pound asparagus (about 12 medium stalks), tough ends trimmed and cut into 3″ lengths
14 oz. can artichoke hearts, well drained and gently squeezed dry
Fresh basil, julienned, for serving

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Coat a 9-inch pie plate generously with cooking spray. To prepare crust, combine cooked quinoa, pesto, Parmesan and egg in a bowl. Stir until blended. Firmly press the mixture along the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pie plate using the back of a spoon. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven.
Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees F.
Steam asparagus until barely tender (see tips, below). Set aside and allow to cool slightly while preparing the filling. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, salt, pepper and milk together.
To assemble the tart, place the goat cheese along the bottom of the prepared crust. Add the artichoke hearts on top, then finish by placing the asparagus in a “spoke” pattern. Pour the milk and egg mixture over the asparagus. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F without opening the oven. Continue baking an additional 35 to 40 minutes or until set. Cool 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with julienned basil and serve cut into wedges.
Quick Tips
1. Realistically, I thought this dish might be a hard sell for my children. I created a separate pie for them that had the same crust, but I filled it with shredded mozzarella and the egg filling and baked it with the other pie. It was essentially a cheese pie (see the pie in the foreground, second photo from top). What kid doesn’t like that? I made a separate one since we had friends over for dinner. Had it been just the four of us, I would have made 1/3 of the pie for the kids and the other 2/3 in the way described above. They ate the revised version in a flash and asked for seconds. And then thirds.
2. To get 2 cups cooked quinoa, start with 1 cup dry quinoa. Rinse it well, then place it in a saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Add 2 cups of water, then bring it to a boil. Allow it to boil rapidly for 5 minutes, then remove from the heat and cover it. Allow it to sit undisturbed for 15 minutes. All the water should be absorbed and the quinoa should be fully cooked. You will have enough to make the crust and just a bit leftover for a salad or side later in the week.
3. The easiest way for me to cook the asparagus for this dish is to rinse it in cold water, place it on a plate, cover it and microwave for about 2 minutes. It will be crisp-tender and ready to add to the dish.

Preparation time: 30 minute(s)

Cooking time: 1 hour(s) 15 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 4

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{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }

Iliana May 23, 2011 at 10:48 am

Yeah…I will make this for a girl’s card game tomorrow! It looks delicious

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Alicia April 20, 2012 at 2:32 pm: Sounds perfect. I want to play…

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Amyarizona March 26, 2012 at 1:59 am

I made this tart but added a layer of thinly sliced chicken parmesan sausages. The tart was delicious- partcularly the crust. You could use it with any quiche filling.

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Alicia April 20, 2012 at 2:31 pm: What a great idea! Thanks for sharing your adaptation. You are right – you can put almost anything inside the crust.

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flchick August 14, 2012 at 9:36 pm

stumbled across your recipe as I was looking for a quinoa crust to make a revised summer time favorite tomato pie- thank you so very much! will let you know how much my husband enjoyed it~

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