Quiche is good. It’s portable, fun to make, incredibly versatile and tastes even better on the next day. Today, I bugged K for quiche (such a specific craving) and he happily complied with this spinach, kale and feta version. I love it and I hope you do too!
A little pet peeve is a leaky quiche with a soggy base (that really sounded unappetising as I was typing it). To prevent that, drain the vegetables thoroughly on paper towel, and squeeze out the excess water. The same applies for the feta. Also, after the first blind baking, we like to brush a thin layer of filling mixture on the base and all up the sides and bake for an additional 2 minutes or so, until dry, so as to create a more ‘waterproof’ layer of protection between the filling and pastry. Say no to soggy bottoms!
The addition of kale was an unintended decision (I just wanted simple spinach and feta) but we found that it added a bite and variation in texture due to the crunchy stems and savoury bitterness. It’s good and I will definitely be throwing in more of that green stuff into my quiches in the future- but, if kale really doesn’t cut it for you, stick with the spinach and feta; it’s just as good. The crisp, buttery, pastry; melty eggy custard, greens and salty feta chunks made such an amazing yet light lunch. Keep the leftovers in the fridge and either eat cold or reheat the next day and you’ll find that the flavours will have matured and would meld together better. Let’s make quiche!
Pastry
- 125g plain flour
- 55g cold butter (unsalted or salted both work fine)
- a pinch of salt
- 2-3 tablespoons of cold water
•••••
1. Combine the flour with a pinch of salt.
2. Working quickly, cut the cold butter into small pieces and add it to the flour.
3. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse sand.
4. Add the water, a tablespoon at a time, pressing the dough with your fingertips until it comes together to form a ball. Knead it a few times.
5. Wrap tightly in cling, and let it rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
6. Prepare the dish by oiling with a tasteless oil (veg oil works) liberally. You really don’t want this quiche to stick!
7. After resting, roll out the pastry to fit your dish. You can do this between two sheets of cling film; it saves the need for flour (less mess!) and makes it easier to roll out without breakages in the pastry. Prick the base a few times with a fork after shaping it into the dish.
8. Blind bake in a 180°C oven for about 9 minutes until it starts to get dry.
Filling
- 1 tightly packed cup of young spinach leaves
- 1 tightly packed cup of shredded kale
- 3 small-medium eggs
- 3/4 cup milk
- 150g feta cheese
- 1/2 cup of grated parmesan, or other hard cheese (optional)
- salt and pepper, to season
•••••
1. Blanch the kale and spinach with boiling water until leaves start to wilt.
2. Strain and pat dry leaves, making sure to remove any excess water thoroughly.
3. Strain and pat dry the feta, crumble into a bowl
4. Combine the eggs and milk, then add in the crumbled feta, parmesan (optional) and wilted leaves.
5. Season with salt and pepper, if adding the optional parmesan, it’s a good idea to hold back some salt as parmesan can be quite salty.
6. Once the pastry has been blind baked, brush a thin layer of the filling mixture on the base and up the sides, return to the oven for about 2 minutes to cook this layer (which will serve as a protective coat between filling and pastry).
7. Spoon or pour in the filling, making sure that the ingredients are distributed evenly.
8. Bake at 180°C for about 30 minutes until it’s lightly browned, with a slight wobble in the middle. A knife inserted in the middle should come out clean.
9. Let it cool slightly before slicing into wedges. Leftover refrigerated quiche is even yummier, so fret not for the leftovers!
Here’s the recipe card:
x, W
Whisk & Knife 