Vegetarische Quiche mit Spinat und Paprika (vegetarian quiche with spinach and bell pepper)
A quiche with a shortcrust base blind-baked before filling, the peppers roasted first and the spinach wilted and squeezed dry, since both would otherwise release enough water into the custard to leave it undercooked and watery at the centre. Whisking the custard smooth before pouring, rather than just stirring it, is what keeps the finished filling silky instead of showing streaks of unmixed egg.
Prep40 min
Cook55 min
Rest30 min
Servings4
Christoph's vegetarian quiche with spinach and bell pepper, both vegetables prepared to release their water before going into the custard.
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
- 250 g bell pepper, cut into strips rounded
- 20 ml olive oil rounded
- 250 g fresh spinach rounded
- 3 eggs rounded
- 150 ml heavy cream rounded
- 100 g shredded cheese 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. 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.
- Toss the pepper strips with olive oil and roast on a sheet at 220°C for 15 minutes, until softened and lightly charred.
- Wilt the spinach in a hot dry pan for 2 to 3 minutes. Drain and squeeze thoroughly dry, then chop roughly.
- Whisk the eggs, cream, shredded cheese, nutmeg, salt and pepper together until smooth. Scatter the roasted peppers and squeezed spinach 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.
- Prepare both vegetables to release their water first. Roasting the peppers and squeezing the spinach dry keeps them from watering down the custard as it bakes, which can leave the centre undercooked.
- Whisk the custard smooth, not just stirred. A thoroughly whisked mixture bakes into a silky, even filling; a barely stirred one can show streaks of unmixed egg white once baked.
- It keeps for 3 days in the fridge and reheats well in a moderate oven.
Ingredient substitutions
- Any color bell pepper works; a mix gives the most visually striking result.
- Fresh spinach can be frozen, thawed and squeezed very dry.
- A handful of chopped fresh herbs, such as chives or dill, stirred into the custard is a nice addition.
From Christoph Mayer