Spring Quiche
Recipe by Nicole Thom-Arens
Serves 8
With the arrival of spring, I begin craving green food. Since spring is slow to arrive to the upper Midwest, I take advantage of herbs and vegetables that are available this time of year—spinach and asparagus. Quiche certainly requires a bit of planning and has a few steps, but it makes up for it in looks and taste. Quiche is perfect for Easter or any other spring celebration because it is best served at room temperature or chilled.
Ingredients:Crust:3/4 cup all-purpose flour1/2 cup whole wheat flour1 teaspoon kosher salt (Reduce to 1/2 teaspoon if not using Diamond.)1/4 cup cold, unsalted butter1/4 cup refined coconut oil, room temperature4 tablespoons ice water
Filling:6 large eggs1/2 cup whole milk1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (Reduce to 1/4 teaspoon if not using Diamond.)2 ounces gruyere cheese2 ounces parmesan cheese2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill1 cup packed fresh spinach1 cup asparagus pieces
Instructions:1. To make the crust, add the flours and salt to a large mixing bowl. 2. Cut the chilled butter into small cubes and add it to the flour and salt mixture. Add the coconut oil.3. Using a pastry cutter, cut the butter and coconut oil into the flour until it is well combined and the fat is evenly distributed. (Many recipes say to mix until the crumb is the size of peas, but I find the pastry is flakier if I mix the butter in a bit more than that, so mix until the crumb is about half the size of a pea.)4. Add 3 tablespoons of the ice water to the mixture. Stir to combine. Add the additional tablespoon of water if the mixture is still dry and crumbly. Mix to combine. (The dough should be sticking together well at this point. If it is still too dry to form a dough, add an additional tablespoon of water.)5. Transfer the crumbly, but moist, dough to a clean worksurface. Working quickly, knead the dough 3 to 5 times to form a dough ball. Transfer the dough to plastic wrap and shape into a flattened disk. Wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.6. After the dough has chilled, remove it from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 5 to 8 minutes. 7. Generously flour a clean worksurface. Unwrap the dough and place it on the floured surface. Sprinkle the top the dough with additional flour. With a rolling pin, roll the dough to a 1/4-inch thickness. (To prevent sticking, keep the dough moving on the floured surface—add additional flour as needed.)8. Once the dough has reached the desired thinness, carefully roll it onto the rolling pin and transfer it to an ungreased pie tin or tart pan. Gently fit the dough into the pan by lifting the edges of the dough and pressing the bottom of the dough into the bottom of the pan being careful not to stretch or tear the dough. (If using a pie tin, fold the edges of the dough under and crimp the crust. If using a tart pan, trim the edge of the dough leaving 1/4-inch of excess dough to account for shrinkage during the bake—you can trim the edges after the quiche has baked.)9. Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork and chill the dough, uncovered, in the fridge while the oven preheats to 425 degrees.10. When the oven has preheated, remove the curst from the fridge. Place a piece of parchment paper over crust and then add baking beads or dried beans on top of the parchment. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes. 11. After 15 minutes, remove the parchment and baking beads/dried beans from the crust. Bake for an additional 5 to 7 minutes to set the bottom of the crust. Once set, remove the crust from the oven and allow to cool in the pan on a wire rack. 12. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees. 13. While the crust cools, prepare the filling. Shred the cheeses and set aside. 14. Mix the eggs, salt, and milk in a medium-sized mixing bowl until well combined. 15. Chop the fresh dill and set aside.16. To prepare the asparagus, break off each stem where it naturally snaps, clean and dry. Cut each asparagus into bite-sized pieces. 17. Pack a measuring cup with fresh spinach. Roughly chop the leaves and stems. 18. Add the vegetables, dill, and cheese to the egg mixture. Stir to combine and distribute the cheeses. 19. Transfer the egg mixture to the slightly cooled crust. Place the pan on a baking sheet to prevent any leakage into the oven. 20. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes—just until the center is set. 21. Cool for 10 minutes. Serve with a salad of mixed greens dressed with lemon juice and olive oil.
Ingredients:Crust:3/4 cup all-purpose flour1/2 cup whole wheat flour1 teaspoon kosher salt (Reduce to 1/2 teaspoon if not using Diamond.)1/4 cup cold, unsalted butter1/4 cup refined coconut oil, room temperature4 tablespoons ice water
Filling:6 large eggs1/2 cup whole milk1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (Reduce to 1/4 teaspoon if not using Diamond.)2 ounces gruyere cheese2 ounces parmesan cheese2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill1 cup packed fresh spinach1 cup asparagus pieces
Instructions:1. To make the crust, add the flours and salt to a large mixing bowl. 2. Cut the chilled butter into small cubes and add it to the flour and salt mixture. Add the coconut oil.3. Using a pastry cutter, cut the butter and coconut oil into the flour until it is well combined and the fat is evenly distributed. (Many recipes say to mix until the crumb is the size of peas, but I find the pastry is flakier if I mix the butter in a bit more than that, so mix until the crumb is about half the size of a pea.)4. Add 3 tablespoons of the ice water to the mixture. Stir to combine. Add the additional tablespoon of water if the mixture is still dry and crumbly. Mix to combine. (The dough should be sticking together well at this point. If it is still too dry to form a dough, add an additional tablespoon of water.)5. Transfer the crumbly, but moist, dough to a clean worksurface. Working quickly, knead the dough 3 to 5 times to form a dough ball. Transfer the dough to plastic wrap and shape into a flattened disk. Wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.6. After the dough has chilled, remove it from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 5 to 8 minutes. 7. Generously flour a clean worksurface. Unwrap the dough and place it on the floured surface. Sprinkle the top the dough with additional flour. With a rolling pin, roll the dough to a 1/4-inch thickness. (To prevent sticking, keep the dough moving on the floured surface—add additional flour as needed.)8. Once the dough has reached the desired thinness, carefully roll it onto the rolling pin and transfer it to an ungreased pie tin or tart pan. Gently fit the dough into the pan by lifting the edges of the dough and pressing the bottom of the dough into the bottom of the pan being careful not to stretch or tear the dough. (If using a pie tin, fold the edges of the dough under and crimp the crust. If using a tart pan, trim the edge of the dough leaving 1/4-inch of excess dough to account for shrinkage during the bake—you can trim the edges after the quiche has baked.)9. Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork and chill the dough, uncovered, in the fridge while the oven preheats to 425 degrees.10. When the oven has preheated, remove the curst from the fridge. Place a piece of parchment paper over crust and then add baking beads or dried beans on top of the parchment. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes. 11. After 15 minutes, remove the parchment and baking beads/dried beans from the crust. Bake for an additional 5 to 7 minutes to set the bottom of the crust. Once set, remove the crust from the oven and allow to cool in the pan on a wire rack. 12. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees. 13. While the crust cools, prepare the filling. Shred the cheeses and set aside. 14. Mix the eggs, salt, and milk in a medium-sized mixing bowl until well combined. 15. Chop the fresh dill and set aside.16. To prepare the asparagus, break off each stem where it naturally snaps, clean and dry. Cut each asparagus into bite-sized pieces. 17. Pack a measuring cup with fresh spinach. Roughly chop the leaves and stems. 18. Add the vegetables, dill, and cheese to the egg mixture. Stir to combine and distribute the cheeses. 19. Transfer the egg mixture to the slightly cooled crust. Place the pan on a baking sheet to prevent any leakage into the oven. 20. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes—just until the center is set. 21. Cool for 10 minutes. Serve with a salad of mixed greens dressed with lemon juice and olive oil.