QUICHE - HERBED TOMATO

By akselden

I used Marie Calendar prepared frozen pie crust. I added half a package of frozen spinach.

Chill crust 30 minutes, then 1 hour.

Ingredients

• Pastry for an 11 inch quiche pan:
• 1 1/2 C. all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 6 T. cold unsalted butter,
• cut into bits
• 2 T. cold vegetable shortening
• 3-4 T. ice water
• Fresh tomato puree:
• 3/4 C. minced onion
• 2 T. butter
• 4 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded, squeezed and chopped
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp of pepper
• 1/8 tsp of sugar
• bouquet garni composed of 4 sprigs each of parsley and thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• Custard:
• 1 C. heavy cream
• 1/2 C. light cream
• 2 eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• Layers:
• 1/4 C. grated Swiss cheese + 2T.
• 1/4 C. grated Parmesan cheese + 2T.
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp white pepper
• 1/2 inch thick tomato slices
• Salt, pepper and thyme to taste
• Butter
• Chopped Parsley

Details

Servings 6

Preparation

Step 1

TO PREPARE TART SHELL:
Into a bowl sift the flour and salt. Add the butter and vegetable shortening and blend the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add enough of the ice water to gather the mixture together in a ball. Knead lightly to combine dough and chill, wrapped in plastic, for 30 minutes.

TO MAKE FRESH TOMATO PUREE:
In heavy skillet, saute minced onion in butter until soft and golden. Add 4 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded, squeezed and chopped; salt, pepper, sugar (I omit) and bouquet garni and bay leaf. Cook, covered over low heat for 10 minutes. Remove cover, increase heat and cook until juice has evaporated and mixture is reduced to a thick rather dry puree. Discard bouquet garni. Cool.

TO PREPARE CUSTARD: In mixing bowl, combine heavy and light creams, eggs and yolks. Add fresh tomato puree, 1/4 C. Swiss and 1/4 C. Parmesan cheeses, salt and white pepper. Mix ingredients thoroughly; set aside. Refrigerate until needed.

TO ASSEMBLE PASTRY SHELL: Roll pastry out on a floured board into a 15-inch circle. Lift dough over rolling pin into a 11 inch French shallow false-bottomed flan pan with removable fluted ring. Press dough firmly into pan. Cut off excess dough with floured rolling pin and reserve it for another use. Prick bottom of shell with fork. Chill or freeze for 1 hour.

TO BAKE PASTRY SHELL: Line chilled shell with wax paper. Cover paper with foil. Fill with raw rice. Bake shell in bottom third of 400°F oven for 10-15 minutes, or until it begins to set. Carefully remove foil, rice and wax paper. Bake shell for 10-15 minutes more, or until lightly colored. Remove shell from pan. Cool on a wire rack.

TO BAKE QUICHE: Return shell to pan. Fill with the reserved custard mixture. Cover with tomato slices. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and thyme. Sprinkle with 2 T. each of grated Parmesan and grated Swiss cheeses. Dot with small pieces of butter. Bake quiche on top rack of 375° degree oven for 25-30 minutes, or until custard is set and top is golden. Remove quiche from pan. Cool on rack. Transfer to a serving platter or board. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.