Sunday, February 14, 2010

Spinach Quiche with Zucchini & Potato Crust

I woke up refreshed with Valentine's Day brunch on my mind!

I've been craving quiche all week, and I set forth to make a new recipe.

Actually, I combined a bunch of different recipes to achieve the yummy pie I made, which I highly encourage you to make, too!

While waiting for the quiche to bake, I whipped up a quick and easy topping for the quiche, and provided a deliciously perfect finish.

SPINACH QUICHE WITH ZUCCHINI & POTATO CRUST

INGREDIENTS:
Crust:
2 medium zucchini, shredded
1 large russet potato, shredded
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
Freshly ground pepper
Cooking spray or butter for coating pan
















Filling:
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 large green onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 oz. frozen chopped spinach (half a bag)
1/2 teaspoon herbes de provence
1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Chicken seasoning
1 egg
3 egg whites
3 Tbsp non-fat evaporated milk

1 tomato, sliced very thin
1 Tbsp fine dried bread crumbs
















Topping:
1/2 tomato, chopped coarsely
5 artichoke hearts (not in oil), chopped
2 oz. soy mozzarella, shredded
A few drops of olive oil
Freshly ground pepper to taste

METHOD:
Pre-heat oven to 400°F.

Squeeze shredded zucchini and potato to remove excess liquid. Mix with nutritional yeast and pepper.

Coat a deep dish pie plate with non-fat cooking spray. Spread crust mixture into bottom and sides of pan.

Bake 20-30 minutes until golden brown and edges are crispy.
















Meanwhile, saute green onions and garlic in white wine until soft, about 7 minutes.

Add spinach and herbs, cook another 10 minutes until hot and excess moisture is almost gone. Transfer to a mixing bowl and set aside to cool.

In a small bowl, add egg and egg whites. Whisk in non-fat evaporated milk. Add egg mixture to cooled spinach mixture and thoroughly blend.

Remove crust from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Spread filling into crust.

Top with tomato slices. Sprinkle bread crumbs over the surface.
















Bake for 35-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, and filling is firm. Place on a wire rack and cool to room temperature.

Make the topping by placing all ingredients in a small bowl. Fold together to combine. Leave at room temperature.

Cut quiche into 4 equal pieces. Add 1/4 of topping to each portion prior to serving.

It was so beautiful, Ron and I ate our brunch on the back patio!

I served a salad of mixed greens (the arugula and red leaf lettuce came from our garden!) with a homemade strawberry dressing, and we each enjoyed a glass of sauvignon blanc.

The quiche was so filling, we could barely eat a few pieces of fresh fruit!

It was a delicious and memorable meal for Valentine's Day brunch, and let's not forget the part about it not costing $30 plus tip per person!

2 comments:

NeedsARibbon said...

With only one modification us gluten free people could eat this too. Sounds absolutely divine. Did I miss my invitation? he he

Sharine said...

Ahhhh! You could totally do this by replacing the bread crumbs with gluten free rice bread crumbs or do without them altogether!

This would be a fun Sunday brunch project for the whole family. Give everyone a series of tasks from shredding to setting the table!

Ron and I love this kind of "kitchen dance." It's fun, even when we step on each other's toes occasionally!