Silverbeet Quiche With Cream Cheese Crust Food

QUICHE RECIPE

Steps:

• I like to make sure my pie dough is prepared before I begin the quiche. Make pie dough the night before because it needs to chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before rolling out and blind baking (next step).
• On a floured work surface, roll out one of the disks of chilled dough (use the 2nd pie crust for another recipe). Turn the dough about a quarter turn after every few rolls until you have a circle 12 inches in diameter. Carefully place the dough into a 9-inch pie dish. Tuck it in with your fingers, making sure it is completely smooth. To make a lovely edge, I do not trim excess dough around the edges. Instead, fold the excess dough back over the edge and use your hands to mold the edge into a rim around the pie. Crimp the edges with a fork or use your fingers to flute the edges. Chill the pie crust in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 5 days. Cover the pie crust with plastic wrap if chilling for longer than 30 minutes.
• While the crust is chilling, preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
• Line the chilled pie crust with parchment paper. Fill with pie weights or dried beans. Make sure the weights are evenly distributed around the pie dish. Bake until the edges of the crust are starting to brown, about 15-16 minutes. Remove pie from the oven and carefully lift the parchment paper (with the weights) out of the pie. Prick holes all around the bottom crust with a fork. Return the pie crust to the oven. Bake until the bottom crust is just beginning to brown, about 7-8 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside. (Crust can still be warm when you pour in the filling. You can partially pre-bake the crust up to 3 days ahead of time. Cover cooled crust tightly and refrigerate until ready to fill.)
• Reduce oven temperature to 350°F (177°C).
• In a large bowl with a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the eggs, whole milk, heavy cream, salt, and pepper together on high speed until completely combined, about 1 minute. Whisk in add-ins and then pour into crust.
• Bake the quiche until the center is just about set, about 45-55 minutes. Don't over-bake. Use a pie crust shield to prevent the pie crust edges from over-browning. Allow to cool for 15 minutes. Top with optional toppings before slicing and serving, if desired. Or you can cool the quiche completely before serving- it's fantastic at room temperature!
• This quiche makes great leftovers! Cover tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

GARDEN VEGETABLE QUICHE WITH A CREAM CHEESE CRUST

Steps:

• Combine flour, 1/2 cup butter, and softened cream cheese in a medium bowl, stirring until blended. Shape into a ball. Cover and chill for 30 minutes. (You can do this while you chop veggies and saute them).
• Saute mushrooms and next 5 ingredients in 2 tbsp melted butter in a large skillet until the vegetables are crisp-tender. Remove from heat; stir in paprika, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
• Press the chilled pastry evenly on bottom and up sides of a 10 inch pie plate. Sprinkle muenster cheese over the pastry. Spoon reserved sauteed vegetables evenly over the cheese.
• Combine the eggs and milk in a medium bowl. Beat with a wire whisk until blended. Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables.
• Saute 3 tbsp chopped onion in 1 tbsp butter in a small skillet until tender. Drain, and sprinkle the onions over the quiche. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes, or until set and lightly browned.
• Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

SILVERBEET QUICHE WITH CREAM CHEESE CRUST

Steps:

• Melt butter in cast iron skillet. Add garlic and onion, diced fine.
• Cut stem from chard leaves and chop into small pieces, about 3/4 of an inch long. Add to butter, et al, in skillet. Stir fry until translucent.
• Chop the green portion of the leaves into bite-sized pieces. Add to the skillet and cook until wilted.
• While you're cooking the chard and onions, mix up the crust: Combine all dry crust ingredients (flour, salt, pepper, Herbs de Provence) in a bowl and combine well. Cut in butter and cream cheese. Mix well until it forms a ball and set aside, covered.
• Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl (eggs, cream, Romano cheese, turmeric, salt and white pepper) and whisk until well blended. If the turmeric and other dry seasonings don't want to mix into the eggs, use an electric mixer.
• Grease your baking pan (I used a 12x17x2.5 inch deep roasting pan since my original recipe made a LOT) and press the crust into the pan evenly across the bottom. If you want to go up the sides of the pan, do. If you don't, don't. Just make sure the sides are well-greased no matter which you do.
• Turn your oven to 350 degrees. Pour the filling into the baking pan and bake at 350 until all the eggs are set. If you want to, you can sprinkle more cheese on top right before baking.

CREAM CHEESE QUICHE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Saute onion in butter until transparent.
• Cover the bottom of the pie crust with the cream cheese, cut into small pieces.
• Add the meat and onion and top with the grated Swiss cheese.
• Mix together the milk and eggs and nutmeg if using and pour over the top.
• Bake for 15 minutes, reduce the temperature to 350 degrees, and bake for another 30 minutes.

SILVERBEET (SWISS CHARD) - OR SPINACH - LEEK & GARLIC QUICHE

Steps:

• Use pastry to line the base and sides of a 2.5cm deep, 26cm (base) fluted, loose-based flan pan.
• Trim excess pastry.
• Place pan and pastry in the freezer for 15 minutes or until firm.
• In a small pan, shaking the pan frequently, toast the pine nuts until lightly browned; remove from the pan and set aside.
• Or you can use the same larger pan that you then use for steps 3-5.
• Place the bacon in a large non-stick pan over a medium-high heat and cook, stirring often, for 4 minutes or until light golden.
• Add the leek and garlic to the pan and cook for 2 minutes or until they have softened.
• Add the silverbeet - or spinach - and toss all the ingredients until they are well-combined; remove the pan from the heat and set aside for 3 minutes or until the silverbeet - or spinach - has wilted and completely cooled.
• Place a baking tray in the oven and preheat the oven and tray to 200°C.
• Place the flan pan on the hot tray and bake the pastry case for 10 to 12 minutes or until it is lightly golden.
• Remove the flan pan and pastry case from the oven and reduce the heat to 180°C.
• Spread the silverbeet mixture over the pastry base, top with cheese and pine nuts.
• With a fork, beat the eggs, cream, milk and salt and pepper to taste, in a jug; and pour over the egg mixture the cheese.
• Cook the quiche for 25 to 30 minutes or until it has set in the centre.
• Serve warm or at room temperature with a salad and crusty rolls.
• Notes: If using baby spinach leaves, you may want to leave them whole. Some people remove the stalks, but I always find baby spinach leaves, stalks and all, so tender that I leave the stalks on. IT's a bit of a timesaver too!