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This vegetable "quiche"
is made with a crispy potato crust and a filling of vegetables and herbs and
spices. It makes a wonderful morning brunch or lunch or a simple dinner, served
with a salad and a small, toasted baguette.
Serves: 8
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 pound asparagus (about 2 cups chopped)
or broccoli florets
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 carrot, cut in small cubes (about 1 cup)
5 mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil, or 1 teaspoon
dried
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/8 teaspoon chili flakes
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper
3 small red potatoes, washed and thinly sliced
or 1 large baking potato
1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup low-fat sour cream
6 eggs
1 medium tomato, sliced (seeds
squeezed out)
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Boil the
water, pour over the sun-dried tomatoes, and allow to soak for about 15 minutes
until they become soft. Strain off any remaining liquid, and coarsely chop.
Cut off about 1 inch of the coarse ends of the asparagus stalks and discard
or save them for soup. Cut the remaining stalks into about 6 pieces or chop
coarsely. If you are using broccoli, cut into florets. Blanch the asparagus by
boiling it in a medium pot of water for 2 minutes or less. Asparagus should be
bright green and firm to the bite. Drain, rinse the asparagus in cold water,
and drain again in a colander.
Saute the onions and the garlic in the olive
oil over low heat until the onions are transparent, approximately 10 minutes.
Add the carrots, mushrooms, basil, parsley, chili flakes, nutmeg, salt, and
pepper and continue to cook for 5 more minutes. Remove from the heat.
Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie pan. Line the bottom
with the potato slices, overlapping them slightly.
Whisk together the
cheese, milk, sun-dried tomatoes, sour cream, and the eggs in a large bowl. Mix
in the sauteed vegetables and the blanched asparagus, coating everything with
the cheese, milk, and egg liquid, then pour into the potato-lined pie pan.
Arrange the tomato slices on top and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake
for 1 hour, covering after 45 minutes if top browns.
Completely baked
quiche should be very firm. Let cool 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Leftovers can be wrapped and kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
