Asparagus Pie with Two Fillings

Them asparaguses got the upper hand again. I saw them in the store with a nice price so I ended up buying two bunches of them. But then, what to make of them?

I like veggie pies but the fat content of crusts just makes me hesitant. So Google was my friend again and I was able to find some more light ones instead of the rather buttery one in the original filling recipe. Credit for this crust recipe goes to Himme who posted at Marttaliitto's website (in Finnish) about lighter, less-fat pie crusts. If you don't mind a buttery crust, just make one, it compliments the fair taste of asparagus better.

So, decided to make an asparagus pie. But then I couldnt decide whether to try a blue cheese filling or a lemon one. So I decided to try both!  Here are both of them. With blue cheese, be careful or it drowns the taste of asparagus.

Oatmeal Pie Crust

• 1 dl oatmeal (flakes, flour)
• 2 dl wheat flour (plain, whole grain)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt (optional)
• 1/2 dl oil
• 1 dl water

1. Measure the dry ingredients in a bowl; then oil and water. Mix with a wooden utensil lightly.








2. Pat on the dough flat the pie tray. Bake 10 mins before filling and 30 mins with filling.

How to Prepare Green Asparagus

• Asparagus
• 1-2 tbsp lemon juice
• Pinch of salt
• Large, deep pan
• Water

1. Rinse asparagus stalks. Put some water with a pinch of salt and squirt of lemon juice to boil in a deep pan.

2. Snap the hard bit off and peel the asparagus but leave the tip part intact.









3. Boil the asparagus lightly for just a minute or two if you are adding them into the pies here (or something else to be baked, cooked or fried, check the recipe). If you use them as a side dish, just boil them until a fork goes through but the asparagus are not soggy. Then drain.

Asparagus and Blue Cheese Filling 

The filling for this pie I adapted from Maku.fi (in Finnish again). I replaced leek with summer onion and instead of cream cheese I used blue cheese. I also halved the orginal recipe. Doubling the filling makes for a baking tray (30 x 35 cm)

• 450 gr green asparagus
• 40 gr blue cheese
• 100 gr summer onion + stalks
• 3 eggs
• 200 g light sour cream
• 0,5  tsp salt
• Pinch of black pepper

1. Mix the dough, pat on a pie shell or baking tray and bake in 200C for 10 mins.
2. Peel and boil asparagus lightly in a large pan and drain.
4. Cut union 
 









3. Crumble blue cheese.









 
5. Beat eggs, mix in sour cream, pepper, salt, cheese and onion.

6. Put the asparagus on the baking tray or pie shell over the pre-cooked dough and pour the sour cream-egg mix over. Bake in 200C mid-lower part of the oven for 30 mins.

Lemony Asparagus Pie Filling

 

• 500 gr green asparagus
• 100 gr cream cheese (Oltermanni, Havarti, etc. or Port Salut)
• 3 eggs
• 200 g light sour cream
• 2-3 tbsp grated lemon rind
• 0,5  tsp salt
• Pinch of black pepper

1. Mix the dough, pat on a pie shell or baking tray and bake in 200C for 10 mins. 2. Peel and boil asparagus lightly in a large pan and drain.
3. Scrub lemon thoroughly under running warm water and grate the peel (just the yellow part, the white part is bitter).
4. Grate cheese. 
5. Beat eggs, mix in sour cream, pepper, salt and lemon rind. 








6. Sprinkle half of the cheese over the dough. Then put asparagus over it.








7. Pour sour cream egg mix over the asparagus and then sprinkle the rest of the cheese over. Bake in 200C mid-lower part of the oven for 30 mins.