No matter what time of day, quiche is always a good idea. You can serve it for breakfast or brunch as a protein-packed way to start the day. You can serve it as a light lunch or dinner with a side salad. Or you can just eat a slice for a snack! No matter what, it will always be satisfying and will taste delicious…especially if you use my recipe for Quiche Florentine!
The Meaning of ‘Florentine’
If you have had anything in a ‘Florentine’ style before, you will know that spinach is going to be involved in the recipe. This ‘Florentine’ style comes from France where recipes were served on a bed of spinach. Who knew? Of course, this Quiche Florentine is packed full of spinach (about 8 cups worth) along with some other tasty ingredients including shallots, eggs and cheese.
Crust is Necessary
One if the beauties of quiche is that you can modify the filling however you please, but ALWAYS make it with a crust! I feel that it’s the proper way to enjoy quiche- and that’s really what makes it a quiche– otherwise, it’s just baked eggs 😛
This crust is simple to make and only requires four ingredients. It is also versatile enough to use for sweet recipes as well! However, the trick to this crust is to bake it before adding in the filling. This avoids soggy crust entirely so that you can enjoy those lovely little flakes and crumbles! Plus, you can make the crust the day before and have it ready to go once you are ready to bake the quiche too– a total time saver!
So if you like what you see, try making this delicious Quiche Florentine this spring! I guarantee that it will be a hit!
Get the Recipe!
Quiche Florentine
Ingredients
For the Pie Crust:
- 1/2 cup salted butter at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon granulated white sugar
- 2 egg yolks at room temperature (reserve the egg whites for the filling)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour plus extra for rolling out the dough
For the Filling:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 shallot finely chopped
- 1 bag spinach ~8 cups
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 egg whites reserved from the pie crust
- 4 whole eggs
- 1/2 cup gouda cheese grated
Instructions
- Begin by making the pie crust. Place the butter and sugar in a bowl and beat until combined. Add the egg yolks and beat for 60 seconds or so, until fully combined. Add the flour, 1/2 cup at a time and beat to combine again until the dough comes together. Remove the dough from the bowl and shape it into a round disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 1 hour to firm up.
- In the meantime, make the filling. Add the olive oil to a frying pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the shallot and cook until the shallot has softened and has begun to turn translucent. Add the spinach leaves and cook uncovered until the spinach has wilted, about 3-4 minutes. Stir the spinach mixture occasionally so that the spinach doesn't burn. Once the spinach has wilted, add the salt and pepper and set aside to cool completely.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Remove the pie dough from the fridge and place it on a lightly floured surface. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out into a circle, about 5 mm (1/4 inch) thick. Roll the dough onto the rolling pin then place in the center of a 9 inch tart pan that is 1 inch deep. Gently lay the dough into the pan, ensuring that it doesn't stretch or rip. If the dough does rip, just gently press it back together with your fingers. Once the dish has been filly lined with the dough, trim the excess from the top and pierce the bottom of the dough with the tines of a fork. This will allow the dough to stay nice a flat with no air bubbles.
- Bake the pie dough, uncovered, in the center of the oven for 18-22 minutes, or until it has turned a light golden brown. Once cooked, set aside and let it fully cool before adding the filling.
- To make the filling, place the egg whites and whole eggs into a medium sized bowl and beat until combined. Add the cooled spinach mixture and the cheese and mix to combine again. Pour the filling into the pie dough, just until it reaches the top of the crust. Carefully place in the center of the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the filling has set and is not jiggly.
- Remove the quiche from the pan and let it cool for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving! Enjoy!
