Spinach And Feta Quiche

[Guest guest]

Spinach And Feta Quiche

 

Pastry;

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

16 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut small pieces

1 egg

6 to 8 tablespoons ice water

3/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese

 

Spinach Filling;

2 10 oz. packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup finely chopped yellow onion

10 green onions, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

2/3 cup chopped fresh dill

1 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper

3 eggs

1 cup half-and-half

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 pound feta cheese

1/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives, chopped

 

To make the pastry, in a bowl, stir together the flour and salt. Add the butter

and, using a pastry blender, cut it in until the mixture resembles coarse meal.

In a small bowl, using a fork, beat the egg with 2 tablespoons of the ice water.

Make a well in the flour mixture and pour in the egg mixture and 2 more

tablespoons ice water. Using the fork, mix lightly, adding more ice water as

needed until the mixture holds together. Pat into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap

and refrigerate for 1 hour.

On a floured pastry board or other work surface, roll out the pastry into a

round about 13 inches in diameter. Transfer to an 11-inch tart pan with a

removable bottom, turn under the edges to make them flush with the pan rim, and

prick the bottom in several places with a fork. Press a piece of aluminum foil,

shiny-side down, onto the crust, and freeze for about 30 minutes.

Preheat an oven to 425 degrees.

Bake the foil-lined pastry shell for 8 minutes. Remove the foil and continue

baking until the crust looks dull, about 4 minutes more. Remove from the oven,

sprinkle with the Swiss cheese, and reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees.

Meanwhile, make the filling: Drain the spinach and squeeze dry. In a large sauté

pan over medium heat, melt the butter with the olive oil. Add the yellow and

green onions and garlic and sauté until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the spinach

and sauté, stirring, until completely wilted, about 3 minutes. Add the dill and

pepper and continue sautéing for about 2 minutes more. Taste and adjust the

seasonings; the mixture should taste peppery. Let cool for 5 to 6 minutes.

In a pitcher or bowl, whisk the eggs until blended, then whisk in the

half-and-half and cream. Crumble the feta cheese into the spinach and stir in

the egg mixture. Pour into the prebaked shell.

Bake until the filling is puffed and light brown and a knife inserted into the

center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand for

5 to 10 minutes. Garnish with the olives and serve. Serves 6.