From our kitchen to yours!

Asparagus and Scallion Pie

The pie combines tender asparagus spears with the mild, oniony flavor of thinly sliced scallions.p>

Preheat oven to 425°F.
Fill a large skillet with water, add 1 teaspoon salt per quart, and bring to a boil. Drop the as­paragus in and blanch for 30 seconds, then remove them to a generously salted ice-water bath and chills minutes. Place the scallions in the simmering water and blanch them as well, about 3 seconds, and chill in the water back with the asparagus. Drain both and pat dry.

Make a cream sauce: Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour, and cook 2-3 minutes over low heat, stirring. Off heat, add the milk, a little at a time, followed by the cream, and whisk together, keeping it smooth as you go. Bring to a simmer, and cook, stir­ring, about 2 minutes, Add½ teaspoon salt, a couple grinds of black pepper, and three grat­ings of nutmeg. Set aside to cool.

Roll out the pastry dough and line the bottom of a 9-inch pie pan (preferably Pyrex–we like to see things cooking) with a layer of dough. Arrange the seal-lions and asparagus in the dough-lined pan. Pour the cream sauce over the scallions and asparagus, moisten the rim of dough with a little water, and place another layer of dough over all. Tap the dough down lightly over the vegetables, and then trim the edge, leaving about ½ inch all around. Fold that over the rim of the pie pan, and crimp or press with the tines of a fork all around the edge.

Cut a half-dozen slits in the top layer of dough for steam to escape.
Bake for is minutes in the preheated oven, until the pastry begins to puff and color, then
turn the heat down to 375°F and bake for about is more minutes. Remove from the oven,
and let cool for a few minutes. Slice with a serrated knife.