By: Caren Hatton
Quiche Florentine
This Quiche Florentine recipe is adapted from Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Cookbook. One quiche serves 8 and it goes beautifully with our Arietta White Wine “On The White Keys.”
STEP 1: PATE BRISEE DOUGH
Yields 2 10-inch crusts
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 t. coarse salt
- 1 t. sugar
- ½ lb. cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 5 T. ice water
Place flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor and process for a few seconds to combine. Add butter and process until the mixture resembles a coarse meal, about 10 sec.
With the machine running, add ice water in a slow steady stream through the feed tube until the dough holds together.
Divide the dough in half, flatten into disks, and wrap each half in plastic wrap; refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
As dough chills, proceed to step 2.
STEP 2: BASIC QUICHE BATTER
Yields enough for one quiche; double recipe to use all of the pate brisée
- 2 cups milk
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 6 large eggs
- 1 T. kosher salt
- ¼ t. freshly ground white pepper
- 6 gratings fresh nutmeg
Combine milk and cream in a large saucepan and heat on medium until scalded (skin begins to form on the surface).
Remove from heat and let cool for 15 minutes before continuing.
Put 3 eggs, half the milk/cream mixture, 1 ½ t. salt, ⅛ t. white pepper, and 3 gratings of nutmeg in a blender/food processor. Blend on low to combine. Increase speed to high and blend until the batter is light and foamy (30 seconds to a minute).
STEP 3: BLIND BAKE THE PATE BRISEE CRUST
2 9-by-2 inch ring molds
- Pie weights
Preheat oven to 375 F.
Remove pate brisee dough from the refrigerator.
Lightly brush the inside of the rounds with canola oil and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Place one dough disk on a floured surface and cover all sides with a thin layer of flour. Flatten into a larger circle with a rolling pin; roll out until the dough is about 3/16 inch thick and about 14 inches in diameter. If the dough was warmed too much, refrigerate a few minutes to re-solidify the dough.
Lift the dough by placing the pin one-quarter of the way up from the bottom, fold the bottom edge over the pin, and roll the dough onto the pin. Unroll the dough over the ring mold, making sure to center it. Lower the dough into the mold and press gently into the bottom corners. Trim any dough that extends more than an inch past the rim; reserve scraps.
Excess dough should drape over the sides of the mold. Patch any holes in the dough with the reserved scraps. Place in the refrigerator or freezer for a few minutes to re-solidify the dough.
Remove the crust from the refrigerator. Line the crust with a round of parchment cut according to size. Fill with pie weights and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned and the bottom is still light in color.
Remove from oven, and carefully take out the weights and the parchment paper. If there are any new cracks or holes in the dough, patch with the reserved scraps. Place the crust back in the oven to bake until the bottom becomes golden brown.
Remove from oven and let cool completely.
STEP 4: FINISH THE BATTER AND BAKE THE QUICHE
- 2 T. unsalted butter
- ¼ cup minced shallots
- 1 lb. spinach, washed and large stems removed
- 2 T. kosher salt
- 1 t. freshly ground black pepper
- ¾ cup grated Comté or Emmentaler cheese
- Basic quiche shell
- Basic quiche batter
- Canola oil
Reduce oven to 325 F. Make sure the rack is placed in the center of the oven.
Melt the butter in a large pot or sauté pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook gently for about 2 minutes, until they have softened but not colored. Add half the spinach, 1 t. salt, and ½ t. pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring until all the spinach has wilted. Drain the spinach on paper towels and let cool.
Squeeze excess liquid out of the spinach and chop coarsely. Scatter ¼ cup of the cheese and half the spinach evenly into the cooled quiche crust (still on the baking sheet). Blend the basic quiche batter again to aerate, then pour enough of the batter to cover the ingredients and fill the shell about halfway. Top the batter with another ¼ cup cheese and the remaining spinach, then fill the shell all the way to the top with the basic quiche batter. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup cheese on top.
Bake for 1 ½ to 1 ¾ hours or until the top of the quiche is browned and the custard is set (jiggle the pan to test). Remove and place on a cooling rack. Quiche should reach room temperature before being placed in the oven for up to 3 days.
Once the quiche has chilled completely, remove excess crust from the top with a sharp knife or metal bench scraper.
To remove from the ring mold, tilt the quiche on its side with the bottom of the quiche facing you. Run a small paring knife between the crust and the ring to release the quiche. Set the quiche down and carefully lift off the ring. Return to the refrigerator until served.
STEP 5: SERVE THE QUICHE
Preheat oven to 375 F.
Line a baking sheet with lightly oiled parchment paper. With a long serrated knife, Carefully cut through the edge of the crust in a sawing motion. Switch to a long slicing knife to cut through the custard and bottom crust. Cut into 8 pieces.
Place pieces on the baking sheet and reheat for 15 minutes or until hot throughout.