Zucchini & Gruyère Quiche

(Ardesia)

For us, quiche is all about the crust. You have to have a nice thick high crust and the filling must be creamy and rich.  In this recipe, using a blender to combine the liquid ingredients is key to helping maintain a rich yet fluffy interior. And making sure to not overcook will ensure that your filling is almost custard like.  We also love this quiche because you can cook it in any season, simply substituting the vegetable for whatever looks tempting at the farmer’s market.

Cook Time:1 hours30 min

Prep Time:30 min

Total Time:2 hours

Servings: 6

Ingredients:

1/2 pound unsalted butter (allow to come to room temperature for at least 1 hour or until completely soft)

2 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoon of kosher salt

2 tablespoon grapeseed oil

2 Medium zucchinis, thinly sliced into rounds

Salt and pepper

1 Clove garlic, grated

1 pint of heavy cream

2 cup whole milk

6 Eggs

1 tablespoon of Kosher salt

1 cup of grated Gruyère cheese

Preparation:

In a stand mixer, sift the flour and then add the kosher salt.

On the slowest speed on the mixer, slowly add the soft butter until thoroughly mixed.

Roll into a ball and dust extra AP Flour on top. Let it set in the refrigerator for one hour.

Mold into the 9-inch pan evenly, by hand. Cut a cartouche (circle of parchment paper) to cover the raw crust. Top with pie weights (or you can use dry beans, enough to thoroughly spread over surface of the crust and weigh down the parchment paper).

Bake the crust in a 350 degree oven for 45-55 minutes or until golden brown. Rotate the crust once half-way through the baking time.

In a large sauté pan, heat the grapeseed oil. Add the thinly zucchini and sauté on high heat. Once caramelized, season with salt and pepper, then add the grated garlic and sauté until fragrant.

In a blender, add the heavy cream, milk, eggs and salt. Turn the blender on high and blend until the mixture almost aerates and you start to see some air bubbles.

To build the quiche, pour a 1/3 of the liquid mixture into the crust mold, followed by a layer of roasted zucchini and Gruyère cheese. Continue layering until the crust is full and zucchini and Gruyère cheese is to the brim of the rim of the crust.

Bake in a 375 degree oven for 40-50 minutes, rotating once during the baking time. Cook until the filling is set but still has a little bit of give to it. You don’t want it to be too dense. It will continue to cook while it cools.