Late Summer Mediterrean Quiche: Rosanna and Francesca's Recipe

This quiche is a culinary treat! The custard is light and delicate. The vegetables and cheeses create a delicious explosion of flavor and the crust is simply ambrosia! The crust melts in your mouth and is the perfect foil for the light custardy, cheese filling. This was so delicious that everyone in my family remained silent as we ate it. No one wanted to ruin the moment of pleasure as it was being eaten.

Ingredients for Late Summer Mediterrean Quiche: Rosanna and Francesca's Recipe

Pie Crust:
2 1/2 Cups Flour
1 1/4 Sticks Organic Salted Butter
3 Tablespoons Crisco or other vegetable shortening
1/4-1/3 Cup Ice Water
1/2 Teaspoon Fine Sea Salt

Filling:
1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil for Cooking
1 Pint of Locally Fresh Cherry Tomatoes (must be sweet, fresh, and local), cut in halves
1/2 Small Sweet Yellow Onion, chopped finely
1 Small Bunch of Chives, chopped finely (8 leaves of fresh basil chopped coarsely)
3 Cloves of Garlic, chopped finely

Egg Mixture:
6 Organic Eggs
3 Cups of 1% Organic Milk
1 Teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
1 Cup Grated Reggiano Parmiggiano Cheese
8 Small Fresh Mozzarella Balls, cut in fourths

Directions for Filling:
Combine all vegetables in a pan and sautee until wilted and soft; then remove it from the heat and place in a small bowl and refrigerate.

Directions for Pie Crust:
Cut the butter into 2 inch pats and set aside.
Place the flour and salt in the food processor, then add the butter pats and shortening.
Process the mixture until the flour, butter, and shortening are totally incorporated- the mixture will look like coarse sand.
Prepare your ice water and begin processing in the pulse mode and slowly add the ice water.
As soon as the dough forms a rough ball then stop processing.
The dough should be well formed and stay together when gathered from the processor.
Place the dough in plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator.

Directions for Egg Mixture:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
In a bowl, beat the eggs and add in the milk, salt, grated parmesan, and mozzarella; then whisk together with a fork.
Remove the sauteed vegetables from the refrigerator, make sure that they have cooled down enough to room temperature, and add them to the egg mixture.
Mix with a fork and place it in the refrigerator.

Directions for Quiche:
Place a pastry cloth on a large flat surface.
Place a stocking on your rolling pin.
Scatter flour on the pastry cloth and rolling pin.
Coat the dough with a light dusting of flour.
Flatten the dough with your hand and slowly begin rolling out the dough in a firm even manner.
Be careful not to over handle the dough or add too much flour as it will become tough and not flakey.
Once the dough is rolled out, slip a pie pan under the dough as you gently lift it up by two hands.
Glently form the dough into the pie pan.
Cut off the excess dough and set aside.
Leave at least three inches of extra dough all around the edge.
Remove the egg mixture from the refrigerator and gently pour the mixture into the prepared pie pan.
With the remaining dough that circles the edge gently fold in so it encircles the pie pan as a thick edge of pastry.
Take your thumb and forefinger and gently pinch the excess dough to form a fluted edge.

Place the pie in the oven at 350 degrees for approximately 45 minutes.
The quiche is done when the mixture has risen and solidified.
When a knife is inserted in the pie and comes out clean it means that the quiche is done.
Let the quiche sit on a wired baking rack about an hour before serving.
It is quite hot when it comes out of the oven, so let it cool and you can enjoy all the flavors and textures.

Leftover Pie Crust
This is a recipe my mother made for us when I was a child. It is a dish that is easy, delicious, and gobbled by children and adults alike. It is flakey, buttery, full of flour, and texture. This is a wonderful tradition to start with your family and children that will be passed on for generations, as it was with my family.

Directions for Leftover Pie Crust:
Roll out the pie crust and place in a pie dish.
There will not be enough dough to make a proper pie but leave the rolled out dough flat in the pan.
Take small pats of organic butter and place them around the surface of the dough.
Sprinkle white and brown sugar and dust with cinnamon.
Fold the edges of the crust over to form a type of three sided envelope, dot the top with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.
Bake with your quiche for about 20 minutes or until it turns light golden brown.
Remove from the oven and cool on the wire baking rack.
Cut in small 3-4 inch squares when you serve it.
It should be eaten within 5 minutes of serving it.


In Boca al Lupo,





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