Ronald’s Fennel Quiche
From the Moosewood Restaurant New Classics Cookbook
Crust:
1 c unbleached white flour
1/2 t salt (optional)*
1/3 c chilled butter
2 T ice water
Filling:
2 T olive oil
3/4 c diced onions
1/2 t salt
1 c thinly sliced or diced fresh fennel (bulbs)
2 medium fresh tomatoes
1 c seeded and diced zucchini
1 t ground fennel seeds
2T minced fresh bsil
1/4 t ground black pepper
4 eggs
1.5 c grated feta cheese, packed
1 c grated Swiss cheese, packed
Serves 4 to 6
Preparation time: 1 hour
Baking time: 50 minutes
Mix together the flour and the salt, if using, in a large bowl. Rapidly work the butter into the flour with a pastry cutter or your fingers until it resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle the ice water over the mixture a tablespoon at a time, and lightly mix it through the dough.
Push the dampened dough from the sides to the middle of the bowl, to form a ball that holds together. Transfer it to a clean, dry work surface. Cut the dough in half, place one half on top of the other, and press down. Repeat the cutting and pressing steps three or four times until all of the water is well distributed and the dough clings together.
Lightly flour a work surface and roll the dough into a 12-inch circle. Transfer the pie dough to a 9-inch pie plate, fold the edges under, and crimp with your fingers or a fork. Refrigerate the pie shell while you prepare the filling.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed, nonreactive skillet. Add the onions and salt, and sauté on medium heat until the onions are translucent and juicy, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the fresh fennel and sauté for another 3 to 5 minutes. The edges of the onions will begin to brown.
While the onions and fennel cook, halve the tomatoes through the stem sends and scoop out the pulp and juice, setting aside ½ cup of it. Dice enough of the tomato flesh to make 1 cup and add it, with the z8ucchini and ground fennel, to the skillet. Cook on medium, heat for 5 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the tomatoes soften and begin to fall apart. Remove from the heat and stir in the basil and pepper.
In a blender, puree the eggs, the reserved ½ cup of tomato pulp and juice, and the feta to form a smooth custard. Spoon the sautéed vegetables into the chilled crust, top with the grated Swiss, and pour the custard over all. The pie will be very full.
Bake for 50 minutes, until the quiche is domed, crusty, and golden.
http://hotmamacookbook.blogspot.com/2013/04/unbaked-single-pie-crust-savory.html
Original Recipe: http://rotnerramblings.blogspot.com/2013_03_01_archive.html
- 1/2 Tbls. olive oil
- 8 asparagus spears, ends removed and cut into 1 inch pieces (I used skinny aspargus, approx. 1 cup, diced)
- 4 cups fresh baby spinach, I cut it up into small pieces
- 5 large eggs
- 1 c. milk
- 3/4 c. crumbled feta cheese
- 1/4 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 4 green onions, chopped - I omitted
- 1- 9 inch unbaked pie crust
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Line a 9 inch pie plate with dough and stick in freezer while you prepare the other quiche ingredients.
3. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the asparagus and spinach. Cook until asparagus is tender and spinach is wilted.
4. In a large bowl, whisk eggs and milk together. Stir in both cheeses. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
5. Remove pie crust from the freezer. Place asparagus, spinach and onions on the bottom of the crust. Pour egg and cheese mixture over the vegetables. The chunks of cheese will be at the bottom of the bowl, don't forget those morsels...
6. Bake for 45 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.
Hot Mama Notes: I used the homemade savory crust listed in the post a few before this. I did not put in the freezer (no room), but I did leave it in the fridge while I got the filling ready. I also needed to cook my quiche an additional 20 minutes over the listed 45 minutes. It simply was not cooked when I checked at 45 minutes. It is cooling now. I haven't had a chance to taste it yet, but it looks delicious!!!
Original Recipe is at: http://rotnerramblings.blogspot.com/2013_03_01_archive.html
Ingredients:
- 2 Tbls. butter
- 1 onion, minced
- 1 tsp. garlic, minced
- 2 cups chopped fresh broccoli
- 1- 9 inch unbaked pie crust
- 1 1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 eggs, well beaten
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Over medium heat, melt butter in a large saucepan. Add onions, garlic and broccoli. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are soft.
3. Spoon vegetables into crust and sprinkle with cheese.
4. Combine eggs and milk. Season with salt and pepper. Pour egg mixture over vegetables and cheese.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until center has set. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.
Hot Mama Notes: This quiche was delicious. :) I used a little over 2 cups of broccoli. Closer to 2.5 cups. However, I didn't feel like I had a problem with the filling overspilling the pie crust, thankfully! I used about 3 cloves of garlic. I think next time I would mix all the filling items together before putting them into the pie crust, so that the resulting filling mixture is more homogenous. I followed the directions exactly, and while the broccoli and the milk/egg mixture was fine, I did not like how all the cheese was sort of glommed on top. Also, I am not sure if this is why the quiche was a bit watery, but I might try draining the broccoli mixture before adding it to the pie crust (or mixing it with the remaining filling items).
We will definitely make this again some time! Grade: A-
Originally from the Moosewood Restaurant New Classics Cookbook,
Ronald’s Fennel Quiche Recipe, just the Crust
Ingredients:
1 c unbleached white flour
1/2 t salt (optional)*
1/3 c chilled butter
2 T ice water
Directions:
Mix together the flour and the salt, if using, in a large bowl. Rapidly work the butter into the flour with a pastry cutter or your fingers until it resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle the ice water over the mixture a tablespoon at a time, and lightly mix it through the dough.
Push the dampened dough from the sides to the middle of the bowl, to form a ball that holds together. Transfer it to a clean, dry work surface. Cut the dough in half, place one half on top of the other, and press down. Repeat the cutting and pressing steps three or four times until all of the water is well distributed and the dough clings together.
Lightly flour a work surface and roll the dough into a 12-inch circle. Transfer the pie dough to a 9-inch pie plate, fold the edges under, and crimp with your fingers or a fork. Refrigerate the pie shell while you prepare the filling.
Hot Mama Notes: This is the unbaked single crust recipe that I used along with the Broccoli Quiche recipe. I have used this crust recipe many, many times, and it never disappoints!!! It is so buttery & delicious! :) Easy to make, too!
Grade: A
