Bikram and Quiche

I have been keeping my promise to myself and attending to my long lost love of Bikram Yoga regularly. I had big plans of writing about some very important topics today, but after yoga I found myself more in the mood to make a quiche for Gelli instead. I came home feeling fabulous and just a wee bit tired so opting for making something yummy to eat seemed like a good idea today.

Quiche is really popular in our home. Everyone likes it. Sometimes I put it in the kiddos’ lunch boxes and sometimes we have it for dinner with a salad and some crusty bread. However, I usually make it for company because it’s a nice dish that presents well and keeps me fresh because I can make it ahead of time. I have made lots of different versions of this dish depending on what I have in the fridge at the time. For my ABC group I would get fancy and make portobello mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes, roasted garlic and goat cheese. If I want to keep it simple I usually stick with one ingredient plus two types of cheeses. My kids enjoy the simpler versions of spinach or broccoli.

Today I used broccoli, cheddar and parmesan cheeese. It took me about 2 years to figure out how to make my pie crusts in the Manila heat, but now that I have it down pat , it’s much easier than when I first arrived fresh from NY. I have learned that to make sure that the pie crust is nice and flaky I need to put my board and rolling pin in the freezer for a few hours before I make the dough. It’s also easier if I have a little helper who can assist me in adding the ice water to the crust if I can.

 

It’s really important not to roll your crust too thin. I’ve done this before and I ended up just throwing that crust out because after re-rolling it to get it right the dough is so overworked that it doesn’t flake anymore. I fold the dough over on itself into quarters and lay it into the pie plate ever so gingerly.

 

 

After unfolding the crust, it’s time to crimp. I have always used my right forefinger and thumb and the knuckle of my left forefinger. It’s simple and rustic. I like simple and rustic. You could get fancy with a fork or pie crimper. If you like lotsa gadgets in the kitchen then that would be right up your alley. I love gadgets, but I like a rustic pie crust so my fingers work just fine in this department.

 

After your crust is done you can pop it in the freezer for a few minutes while you prepare your filling. I’m using a deep dish glass pyrex pie plate, so I used 8 eggs, milk, cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper. I chopped about a cup of broccoli in bite sized pieces as well.

 

Pop the quiche into a preheated oven of 350 F and set your timer for about 40 minutes.

I have always used Emeril’s Sweet Basic Pie Crust for my quiches. I just alter the recipe by not adding sugar since this is a savory egg pie instead of a sweet fruit pie.

Keep in mind I am using a deep dish pie plate so I needed a large amount of eggs for this one.

Filling:

8 eggs

splash of milk

1 c. raw broccoli

1 c. shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 c. parmesan cheese

salt  and pepper to taste

 

Beat the eggs with milk until light and fluffy. Stir in the broccoli and the cheeses and pour into the prepared pie crust. Be sure to divide your broccoli up evenly in the pie plate, you don’t want a lopsided quiche because all the broccoli has gone to one side. Bake at 350 F for about 40 minutes. You’ll know that the pie is done because it won’t jiggle when you move it. This means all the eggs have cooked through. Let the quiche cool for a few minutes before you slice it. It will make for a nicer presentation.

Photo credit : My wonderful husband.