Whether you’re a beginning cook or just continue to be intimidated by making good crust, here’s a tasty recipe that makes crust unnecessary. Good for low-carb diets, too. Cheese and egg dishes always provide plenty of protein. The spinach nest for this quiche adds a healthy dose of iron, magnesium, vitamins A, C, K, folic acid, antioxidants and dietary fiber. If you have trouble getting your family to eat their vegetables, this may be a good dish to try.
Similar to quiche Lorraine, ham or bacon make great additions, but the recipe can easily be made meatless. In fact, quiche is one of the most flexible recipes. Feel free to experiment with other fillings.
Crustless Spinach Quiche
Serves 4
You will need: a 10-inch Pyrex quiche dish or similar sized casserole, buttered.
For the “crust”
- 3-5 scallions (a.k.a. green or spring onions), finely chopped
- 2 cups fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
- 1 1/2 cups Gruyere cheese, shredded (2 cups if you want it meatless)
- 1/2 cup ham, cubed or crisp-cooked bacon, crumbled (optional)
For the filling
- 9 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg (see “Gourmet Tip” below)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For topping
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese grated
Method
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- Line the bottom of the baking dish with the greens.
- Distribute the cheese and ham or bacon (if using) evenly over the spinach mixture.
- Mix the filling ingredients and pour over the spinach mixture.
- Bake in the center of th oven for 30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle the top with the Parmesan cheese.
- Make a 6-inch wide collar of foil around the baking dish and fold over, leaving a 2-3-inch hole in the middle.
- Return the quiche to the oven and bake 15 minutes longer, or until the center is set.
Serve, if you like, with fresh tomato slices, each garnished with a fresh basil leaf or a nasturtium flower or leaf.
Variations
- Use a mix of cheeses: cheddar and Swiss or mozzarella, even blue cheese!
- Half and half, or whole milk can be used in place of cream for a quiche that is less rich.
- Half a cup of lightly sautéed mushrooms can be added or substituted for the meat.
Gourmet Tip
Buy your nutmeg whole and invest in a tiny grater, or use the finest grater you have. In a pinch, pre-ground nutmeg can be used, but you will be amazed at the difference freshly grating makes. As with pepper or coffee or many spices, oxygen is the enemy of freshness. Once ground, the granules vastly multiply the surface that is exposed to air. The whole spice will keep fresh much longer.
Here are three more great quiche ideas:
Larry Ervin - Foodie, self-taught cook and cookbook addict, I never met a recipe I didn't want to twist, simplify, add or switch out ingredients.
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