Thyme~Asparagus Quiche

My ideal Sunday morning involves a quiche baking in the oven while I enjoy a cup of coffee and a magazine...ahhh...Asparagus is a great addition to a quiche this time of year. Serve with a handful of greens or fruit salad...and a fresh cup of coffee.Quiche:Filling:4 large eggs1 cup of cream1 cup + 1 Tablespoon of Gruyere cheese, gratedJuice from 1/2 lemon1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes1 teaspoon fresh thyme10 spears of asparagus, trimmed1 Tablespoon olive oil1 clove of garlic, mincedSalt and pepperPie Crust (see recipe below)Using a non-stick skillet, cook asparagus over medium heat in 1 Tablespoon of olive oil. Season with thyme, a pinch of salt and pepper, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 4 minutes, moving the spears around occasionally. Add lemon juice and remove from heat. Meanwhile, whisk together eggs, cream, and 1 cup of Gruyere...then add an additional pinch of salt and pepper. Once crust is par-baked (see Pie Crust recipe below), place the pie dish on a cookie sheet and add the egg mixture...then place asparagus spears in pie dish creating a pretty design if you wish and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Check the edges of the crust about 30 minutes in...if the crust is browning quickly, cover the edges with a pie shield or with aluminum foil. The quiche is ready once the filling is set (no wiggling!). Let cool for 15 minutes before serving...this is really important. I have found myself too anxious to wait in the past and have ended-up with a messy quiche!Pie Crust: Makes enough for one pie or two quiches using a 9" ceramic pie dish2 3/4 cup organic all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt1 cup of cold-cold-cold butter cut into 1/2 inch cubes (I use the wrappers from the butter to grease the pie pan)1/2 cup ice cold waterMix the flour and salt in a food processor for 5 seconds. Add the cubes of butter. Mix for another 10 seconds. Add the cold water in a slow stream until a ball of dough begins to form. Place the dough on a work surface sprinkled with flour and form into a disc. Resist the urge to play around with the dough and handle as little as possible...this results in a super flaky dough. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes...then back to the work surface...roll out until dough measures approximately 10" in diameter. Place in a buttered pie dish. Curl the edges using your thumb. Pierce the dough with a fork in a few spots. Cover with parchment paper and add pie weights. Par-bake the crust for 15 minutes at 400 degrees.Pie crust freezes well. I like to keep a few crusts in the freezer and defrost in the refrigerator overnight.Photo|Recipe|Styling by Cassie Winslow