I realize mushrooms aren’t for everyone but if you do enjoy them, it seems there are no end to recipes you can use them in. As well as making a great filling for your quiche, its nice to add even more color and flavor with crust variations. Keep in mind that the best time to add extra ingredients to your pastry is after you’ve blended your flour and butter together in the food processor and before pulsing in the cold water.
Here’s a few ideas to elevate savory quiche crusts:
Herbs: Try adding 2 tablespoons each of any of these fresh herbs – chives, thyme, parsley, rosemary & sage. If you only have dried herbs, cut back to about 1/2-1 teaspoon each.
Cheese: As we all know, cheese makes everything better! Adding it to pastry is amazing. Try mixing it up with different combinations of cheese: Gruyere in the filling and parmesan in the crust for example.
Spices: Such as turmeric, fennel seed or even a grind of peppercorn (black, white or pink) can significantly alter any savory crust.
Bacon: Even just a little bacon will add some smokiness to the quiche. Be sure to chop it small enough after frying so it can be well incorporated into the crust.
Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Although they add tanginess and a nice smoky red color, they are often best as a background flavor. Since they can easily overpower when used in the filling, add them to the crust.
| Servings |
|
- 1 1/4 cups flour
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/8 cup or 2 Tbsp chilled vegetable shortening
- 6 Tbsp cold butter If you prefer, omit the shortening & just use 1/2 cup butter.
- 1/4 cup + 1 1/2 tsp ice water
- 1/2 tsp lemon juice or vinegar
- 2-3 green onions, sliced
- 454 gm wild mushroom blend (from the supermarket)
- 2 Tbsp butter,
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups broccoli florets,
- 1/3 cup red pepper
- 100 gm Havarti cheese, grated Use more if you wish.
- 3 eggs
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 1/2 tsp veg sea salt I prefer Herbamare salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Ingredients
Parmesan Crust
Filling
|
Rate this recipe!
|
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, grated Parmesan & salt. Cut in shortening & butter, using pastry blender or fork, until mixture forms coarse crumbs the size of small peas.
- Combine ice water and lemon juice (or vinegar); drizzle 1/2 of the lemon water over cold flour mixture and stir until the dough just starts to come together or turns “shaggy”. Begin adding a few more tablespoons of water at a time, stirring between each addition. Once most of the water has been used (but you have a tablespoon or two remaining) use your hands to gather the shaggy strands into a ball and knead the dough two or three times. If you have dry bits remaining in the bowl, add a little additional water.
- Gather the dough in a ball, dust your counter with a tiny amount of flour, and quickly pat dough into a small flat disk. Cut dough in half and then stack one piece on top of the other, flour side down. Use the heel of your hand and press the dough down and divide once more. Cover each piece with plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours in the refrigerator, but overnight is best.
- Slice green onion & mushrooms. Sauté in butter, add minced garlic, stirring often. Allow to cook for five minutes uncovered so the moisture evaporates.
- Cut broccoli into florets & add to pan along with chopped red pepper. Cook another 6 minutes then remove from heat.
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Grate Havarti cheese. In a container, whisk together eggs, milk & seasonings.
- Remove pastry from refrigerator & place on a lightly floured work surface. Roll dough out to fit a 9-10-inch pie pan. Trim away any excess dough, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang to form the crust.
- Sprinkle a small amount of the Havarti over bottom; top with vegetable mixture then remaining Havarti.
- Bake until quiche tests done. Since the quiche is made with milk instead cream it will take longer to bake. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing. This quiche tastes great just out of the oven, but even better the next day.
- Don't hesitate to use cream instead of milk if you would like a richer filling.