Spring Vegetable Quiche

June 9, 2011 · 1 comment

When I think of quiche, I think of a buttery, flaky crust and more cheese than anyone should reasonably consume in one meal. However, this “quiche” is nothing of the sort. It is missing a crust, but the body of the dish is so tasty that you don’t even need it. This is a terrific light dinner and it packs up nicely for the lunchbox, too. Serve it with a simply dressed green salad.

8 cups fresh spinach leaves
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
1-1/2 cup milk
3 large eggs
3/4 cup shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese
1/2 teaspoon dill weed
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
Zest of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 medium ripe tomatoes
1 tablespoon panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
1 tablespoon Pecorino Romano cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Pile the rinsed spinach leaves into a 3-quart saucepan. Heat over low, stirring occasionally, until the spinach wilts. Drain in a colander and allow to cool slightly. Squeeze the remaining water out of the spinach, then chop roughly and set aside.
Melt the butter in a skillet over medium low heat. Add the shallots and cook until softened and slightly brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
In a large bowl, whisk together the milk and eggs. Add the mozzarella, dill, thyme, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Cut the tomatoes in half, then squeeze them over the sink to release the juice and the seeds. Roughly chop them and add them to the large bowl with the egg mixture. Add the spinach and the shallots, stirring to blend.
Spray an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Top with the panko and the Pecorino Romano. Bake on the middle rack for 25 minutes. The top will be lightly brown and the filling completely set. Allow to rest for a few minutes before serving.

Preparation time: 20 minute(s)

Cooking time: 25 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 6