Paprika-Ricotta-Quiche (bell pepper and ricotta quiche)
A quiche with a shortcrust base blind-baked before filling, since an unbaked base under a wet ricotta custard turns soggy and undercooked no matter how long the whole thing bakes afterward. Roasting the peppers first rather than adding them raw is what concentrates their sweetness and keeps them from releasing water into the custard as it sets.
Prep35 min
Cook55 min
Rest30 min
Servings4
Christoph's bell pepper and ricotta quiche, the base blind-baked and the peppers roasted first so the custard doesn't turn soggy.
Ingredients
Written for a 24 cm round tin
Units
Temperature
Servings
Crust
- 220 g flour rounded
- 120 g cold butter, cubed rounded
- 3 g fine salt rounded
- 50 ml cold water rounded
Filling
- 300 g bell pepper, cut into strips rounded
- 20 ml olive oil rounded
- 250 g ricotta rounded
- 3 eggs rounded
- 150 ml heavy cream rounded
- 2 g grated nutmeg rounded
- to taste fine salt rounded
- to taste freshly ground black pepper rounded
Dietary labels are a guide, not a guarantee. If you have an allergy, read the ingredients yourself.
Method
- Combine the flour, cold butter and salt, rubbing together with your fingertips until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add the cold water and bring together into a dough. Chill for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan). Roll the dough out and line a 24 cm tart tin, trimming the edges. Prick the base with a fork.
- Line with parchment and fill with baking weights or dried beans. Blind bake for 15 minutes, then remove the weights and parchment and bake for a further 5 minutes, until lightly golden. Reduce the oven to 175°C.
- Meanwhile, toss the pepper strips with olive oil and roast on a sheet at 220°C for 15 minutes, until softened and lightly charred at the edges.
- Whisk the ricotta, eggs, cream, nutmeg, salt and pepper together. Scatter the roasted peppers over the base and pour the custard over.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the custard is fully set with just a slight wobble at the centre. Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing.
Notes
- Blind bake the crust before filling it. An unbaked base under a wet custard steams instead of crisping, and stays soggy and pale no matter how long the finished quiche bakes.
- Roast the peppers before adding them, don’t use them raw. Roasting concentrates their sweetness and drives off water; raw peppers release moisture into the custard as it bakes, which can leave the filling watery.
- Let the quiche rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing. It’s still very soft straight from the oven and needs a few minutes to firm up into clean slices.
- It keeps for 3 days in the fridge and reheats well in a moderate oven.
Ingredient substitutions
- Ricotta can be swapped for quark for a slightly tangier filling.
- A handful of chopped fresh basil stirred into the custard is a nice addition.
- Any color bell pepper works; a mix gives the most visually striking result.
From Christoph Mayer