Spinach Sheet Pan Quiche

I can’t remember the last time I had quiche, let alone cooking one.

Recipe from Smitten Kitchen

https://smittenkitchen.com/2016/11/spinach-sheet-pan-quiche/

Time: 1 to 1.25 hours

Serving: 12 to 16

Ingredients:

CRUST

  • 1 2/3 cups (215 grams) all-purpose flour

  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 12 tablespoons (170 grams) cold unsalted butter, diced

  • 3 tablespoons (45 grams) very cold water

FILLING

  • Nonstick spray oil, for coating pan

  • 3/4 cup (176 grams, 6 ounces, or 3/4 of an 8-ounce brick) cream cheese, soft at room temperature

  • 2/3 cup (155 ml) half-and-half or 1/3 cup each whole milk and heavy cream

  • 6 large eggs

  • 2 10-ounce (283-gram) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed

  • 1 cup (115 grams or 4 ounces) grated cheddar or gruyere

  • 1/2 cup (50 grams) finely grated Parmesan

  • 1 small bundle (2 to 3 ounces or about 8 thin green onions) thinly sliced

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Make crust: In a food processor, blend flour and salt together. Add butter and pulse machine until butter is reduced to a fine meal, or couscous-sized bits. While running machine, drizzle in water; stop when dough has balled, a few seconds later. Wrap dough in plastic or waxed paper and set in freezer to quick-chill until firm but not rock-hard, about 15 to 20 minutes. You can also chill it in the fridge for 2 hours or up to 1 week until needed.

Lightly coat a 9×13-inch (quarter-sheet) pan with oil. Line bottom with parchment paper. Flour your counter well. Remove crust from freezer or fridge, unwrap and flour the top of it. Even if it’s very hard, begin rolling it very gently, in light motions, so it doesn’t crack too much as you stretch it out, to about a 12×16-inch rectangle. Keep flouring top and counter underneath dough as it is prone to sticking. Work as quickly as possible because this dough softens even more than regular pie dough as it warms. Transfer dough to prepared pan. Lift overhang to let dough slack/droop into corners so you’re not stretching it a lot to shape it to the pan. Trim overhang to 1/2- to 1-inch, then fold overhang onto sides of dough, pressing all around and letting the dough extend slightly over the edge of the pan. Freeze shaped dough until solid, about 20 minutes. Save your scraps! You can use them to patch any holes or cracks formed when baking.

Meanwhile, heat oven to 425F/220C. Coat a large sheet of foil lightly with spray oil. Once crust is solid, prick it all over with a fork and press foil, oiled side down, tightly against dough. Fill foiled crust to the top with pie weights, dried beans or rice (that you don’t plan to eat at any time). Bake for 20 minutes then gently, carefully remove foil and weights and bake for 5 more minutes, unfilled.

While crust par-bakes, make filling: Use an electric mixer or your best whisking skills to beat cream cheese in the bottom of a large bowl until smooth and fluffy. Gradually drizzle in half-and-half, whisking the whole time so that the mixture incorporates smoothly. Whisk in eggs, two at a time, until combined. Squeeze out spinach in handfuls, removing as much extra moisture as possible. Stir in spinach, cheddar, parmesan, scallions, salt and pepper.

When crust has finished parbaking, leave oven on. Inspect crust for cracks or holes and use reserved dough to patch them if necessary. Pour in filling just to the top of the crust. You will probably have about 3/4 cup more filling than you can fit in the crust (not an issue if going crust-less or if you didn’t parbake the crust); you can bake this off in a separate oiled dish for an excellent breakfast on toast tomorrow.

Bake quiche until crust is golden brown and filling is set, about 25 minutes. Cool at least 10 minutes before serving. Quiche keeps in fridge for 4 to 5 days.

another delicious recipe from smittenkitchen, it does take some prep time but it definitely makes enough for you to eat for days. my crust was a bit more fidgety as i made a gluten free version, with that said for gluten free dough i would recommend even prepping the dough the day before so it has time to rest and come together. but besides that the rest is super easy to put together to bake off and then enjoy. although vegetarian this quiche is still quite rich from all that cheese, next time i might want to add some more vegetables in there maybe some artichoke or mushrooms to help off balance the richness. it is just as delicious the next day cold or heated again. a good dish also if you are feeding a lot of people or having a party.

cooking, vegetarianJackie Wongquiche, spinachComment