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Spinach & Gruyère Quiche

Source of Recipe

From "Once Upon A Chef: The Cookbook" by Jennifer Segal


Recipe Introduction

"Of all the spinach quiches I've tried over the years, this classic French version is my favorite. The recipe comes from my childhood friend Trish, who is not only one of the funniest people I know, but also a stunning hostess. When Trish entertains, she goes ALL out—beautiful table settings, seasonal cocktails, fabulous food, and (best of all) hilarious party games. She once created an entire game of Jeopardy! for our old high school gang, complete with categories like Prom Dates, '80s Pop Stars, and Senior Superlatives. This quiche is Trish's go-to brunch dish. The combination of heavy cream and Gruyère makes it insanely rich. There's also a good bit of spinach, which balances out all that richness and makes it just a little bit healthier."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ One 9-inch deep-dish frozen piecrust
â—¦ 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
â—¦ ½ cup thinly sliced shallots
â—¦ 4 eggs
â—¦ 1 ¼ cups heavy cream
â—¦ Pinch of ground nutmeg
â—¦ ¾ teaspoon salt
â—¦ â…› teaspoon cayenne pepper
â—¦ 1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese
â—¦ One 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and wrung free of water


Recipe

Preheat the oven to 400° F and set an oven rack in the middle position.

Remove the piecrust from the freezer and thaw until just soft enough to easily prick with a fork, about 10 minutes. Prick the bottom and sides all over. Bake in its foil pan on the center rack until fully cooked and lightly golden, 10 to 15 minutes. (Keep an eye on it; if it puffs up while cooking, gently prick it with a fork so it deflates.) Remove from the oven and decrease the temperature to 325° F.

In a small sauté pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 8 minutes. Do not brown. Set aside to cool.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, nutmeg, salt, and cayenne.

Place the cooked piecrust in its pan on a baking sheet (this makes it easy to move in and out of the oven). Spread the shallots over the bottom of the crust, and then sprinkle the shredded Gruyère on top. Scatter the spinach evenly over the cheese, breaking up the clumps as best as you can, and then pour the egg mixture over the top. Bake at 325° F for 50 to 55 minutes, until the custard is set and the top is lightly golden. Serve hot or warm.

Serves 4 to 6