Get raves with this crunchy-tender broccoli and red pepper quiche
Even my meat-loving son-in-law’s eyes light up when he sees this festive dish on the table. I bet yours will too. Paired with my tender, flaky, whole wheat pie crust, this delectable quiche, filled with broccoli and red pepper laced custard, is as wholesome as it is colorful.
Serve it with a sparkling cider or wine, a wedge of butter lettuce topped with a fresh pear slice, and your brunch guests will clamor for more. We like to make it on the weekend at our house and carry it in our lunches to work during the week. It packs well cold and tastes just as delicious. Tuck a crisp apple into your bag, and you’ve got a complete lunch almost as quick as you can say “Take out!”
A tasty crust is a foundation for a fabulous quiche and mine starts with the whole wheat pie crust below, followed by the recipe for the cheesy custard, which is loaded with vitamin-rich vegetables that please the eye as much as the palate.
If you are using the whole wheat pie shell recipe above for this quiche, add an extra 50 minutes to the time total.
Prepare the filling while the pastry dough chills, and all you’ll have to do when the pre-bake is complete is fill and bake.
Don’t forget to reduce the oven temperature to 350 after you pre-bake the crust!
Cook Time
Prep Time: 20 minutes with a pre-baked pastry shell
Total Time: 55-65 minutes
Serves: 6
Ingredients
- 3/4 lb Swiss cheese
- 3 -4 T extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1/2 C well-chopped tender broccoli stems
- 1 -3/4 C chopped broccoli florets
- 1 small red bell pepper seeded and diced
- 3 large eggs
- 1/4 -1/2 t sea salt to taste, depending on the saltiness of the cheese
- 1/8 t ground nutmeg
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1 C whole milk
- Pre-baked pastry shell
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit
- Shred cheese, divide into three equal portions, and set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil just enough that a piece of onion sizzles when dropped into the pan. Add the rest of the onion and cook over medium heat halfway to transparent.
- Stir in first the broccoli stems, then the florets, and cook until just beginning to turn bright green.
- Stir in bell pepper, saute till crunchy tender.
- Remove vegetables from heat and divide into three equal portions.
- While vegetables are sauteing, prepare custard: Beat eggs, salt, and spices with a wire whisk till creamy but not frothy. Whisk in milk. Set aside.
- Layer cheese and vegetables in a prepared pastry shell, three layers each, beginning with cheese and ending with enough vegetables to show a little color after the custard sets.
- Drizzle custard overall.
- Bake in a 350-degree oven for 35-45 minutes, until fairly well set. Custard may be a bit soft in the middle when you test with a knife, but the knife should lift clean. The top will be golden and puffed up.
- Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool for 15-20 minutes, if you can bear to wait that long.