A few months ago, I discovered a recipe on the achingly beautiful Pinecone Camp blog for bite-sized Mediterranean Tarts which featured an easy almond flour crust. I didn't feel like fiddling with individual size tarts, but wondered if the crust would work for a full-sized quiche. Answer? Yes it did. It worked VERY well. In fact, it's worked so well, I've lost track of how many quiches I've made with this crust since then. (Click the links above to check out the blog and recipe.)
In addition, I have found that it works best with the cheapest almond meal from Trader Joe's! Score! I can save my expensive Honeyville blanched almond flour for other baked goods.
The only change I have made from the original recipe is to use butter in place of vegetable oil. Use sweet butter, or leave out the salt if you use salted butter. I like butter because it tastes good. I know some people can't have the dairy or don't want the saturated fat, but I'm trying to fatten up my 7-year old, so I add butter to everything. I'm sure you could use whatever fat you like. :)
Sometimes I'm out of parsley, so I've made it with or without...doesn't change anything. You can use whatever herbs you like. The key to success is to really press the dough into a well oiled pan (I use a glass pie plate) so that it is evenly distributed and firmly compacted. The dough is crumbly to start, so I try to spread it around my pan evenly and then start pressing up the sides first...making sure to really press into the corner so it's not too thick. Once I have the sides evenly set, I flatten out the bottom and press it down really well. It bakes up nicely in 10 minutes in a 350 degree oven and then it's ready to fill.
And speaking of fillings...there are so many ways to fill a quiche. It's also a great way to use up leftovers if you're scrounging for something to eat. My basic rule of thumb is to cover the bottom with a thin layer of cheese...leave it out if you don't do dairy. Then I add 1-2 cups of cooked veggies. Another layer of cheese goes over that, followed by 6 eggs that I have cracked and beaten well. That is it! You are limited only by your imagination. If you are open to suggestions, here are my two current favorites...
GREEK-STYLE
I love the tangy feta in this one. I realize that feta is an "advanced" ingredient for SCDers. My daughter hasn't had any problems with it, so we use it from time to time. You could use a parmesan if you don't like feta or just leave the cheese out...the salty kalamatas add a lot of great flavor. Just be sure to watch ingredients on the kalamatas...some have weird addititves. I make my own roasted peppers, but you can usually find them just packed in oil.
Ingredients:
- 1 almond flour quiche crust
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 bunch of greens (spinach, chard, kale, whatever you have), de-stemmed if needed and chopped
- 4 oz. roasted red peppers, chopped (this equals approximately 1 bell pepper)
- 24 kalamata olives, halved or sliced
- 4 oz. feta, crumbled
- 6 eggs, lightly beaten
Instructions:
- Sautee onions and greens in butter or oil until onions are soft and greens are wilted. Remove from heat.
- Stir in peppers and kalamata olives. Set aside.
- Sprinkle half of the feta over bottom of crust. Top with veggie mixture. Sprinkle remaining feta on top of veggies.
- Pour eggs over everything...use a chopstick or knife to poke down and wiggle into the filling a little to make sure the eggs get evenly distributed throughout.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until eggs are set in the middle.
MUSHROOM, ONION & PROVOLONE
Having grown up near Kennett Square, PA, mushroom capital of the world, mushrooms are near and dear to my heart. I woke up every morning in the 70's smelling the compost they used at the mushroom farms...oh boy...don't actually miss that smell. And did you know that mushrooms are a good source of soluable fiber which is easy on the gut, AND they are a vitamin D power house if grown wild...something those of us in the Pacific Northwest can always use more of. But back to this quiche, it is jam packed with mushrooms and perfectly melty provolone...so good...with the addition of the onions it's almost like a Philly Cheesesteak, without the steak and roll. :)
I've decided since starting the SCD, that I actually like provolone better than mozzarella for many cheesy baked things...it has so much flavor and browns up really well.
Ingredients:
- 1 almond flour quiche crust
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3/4 lb. mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 4 oz. provolone cheese, shredded or sliced
- 6 eggs
Instructions:
- Sautee mushrooms and onions in butter or oil until soft. Take off heat.
- Place half of the provolone cheese on the bottom of crust. Top with mushroom-onion mixture. Sprinkle remaining cheese over mushrooms.
- Pour eggs over filling...use a chopstick or knife to poke down into the filling a little to make sure the eggs get evenly distributed throughout.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until eggs are set in the middle.
Notes:
- Let your quiche cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing...if you can wait that long.
- Feel free to add/subtract ingredients to suit your tastes. You can easily add mushrooms, sundried tomatoes, or chopped artichoke hearts to the Greek-style quiche or try bacon and black olives in the mushroom quiche. Have fun with it! As long as you stick to the general ratio of 1/2 c. cheese, 1-2 cups filling (depending on your pan) and 6 eggs, you're good to go. Just be sure to pre-cook your veggies so they release some of their water...that will keep you from having a soggy quiche.
- Quiche freezes well, so it can be a lifesaver to have some portions on standby for when you don't have time to cook. I also like to make them ahead of time to have on weekend mornings. They are easy to reheat in the oven when you wake up.
- If you don't have time, don't like crust or can't eat nuts, a crustless quiche is also delicious...try cooking your fillings in a pyrex pan, then cut squares to keep in the fridge or freezer for a grab-and-go snack or meal.
I frequently serve quiches for dinner with some fresh pink grapefruit halves...it's an easy, delicious, nutritious, satisfying meal.
I hope you are ready to go make a quiche now. Let me know how they turn out. I'd love to hear your ideas for favorite fillings too. Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope you'll stay in touch and come back soon to join me in Fighting Flare. XOXO, Cindi
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