Cheesy Mushroom Spinach Quiche

Quiche has a pastry crust and a filling of eggs and milk or cream which, when baked, become a custard. Though the crust base is similar in tarts,pies and Quiches, the Quiche is a savory, open-faced pastry crust dish with a savory filling.

I wanted to try quiche for quite some time now but was never sure how it would turn out to be.
So one fine day just out of whim I decided now was the time and just went for it. And believe me it is  piece of cake!!!!! 

Ingredients:

For the filling:

1 bunch     Spinach
5 to 6        Mushrooms
4 to 5        Garlic Cloves
2               Eggs
1/4 cup      Milk (can also use cream)
1 cup        Grated cheese (cheddar or the good old cheese cubes)
a pinch      Nutmeg
a pinch      Pepper Powder
1/4 tsp       Namak Shamak
1 tsp         Oil

For the Crust:

1              Egg
1 1/2cup   Maida
1/2 cup     Butter
a pinch     Namak Shamak

Method:

For the crust:

Add the butter and salt to the maida and mix till they resemble breadcrumbs. Make a well in the center and add the egg. Knead the dough adding a little chilled water if required. Roll the dough in a cling wrap and keep in the fridge for atleast an hour. This dough can be prepared in advance and kept. It will keep for 8 to 10 days.

Remove from fridge and roll the dough into a roti but thicker.  Gently transfer the rolled dough into a pie dish and press it into the dish just ensure that the whole area is covered. Remove the excess dough by trimming the edges. Now prick the pie with the fork so that it does not rise. Bake at 180 degrees for 20 mins. Just half bake it so that it does not turn soggy when we add the filling. Again the pie pastry can be baked in advance and kept ready so you can just make the filling and viola your quiche is ready in minutes.

 

For the filling:

Finely chop the garlic and the spinach. Also chop the mushrooms.

In a pan. Add the oil and saute the garlic and the mushrooms now add the spinach, salt, pepper powder and saute till all the water evaporates. Keep aside to cool. Generally the quiche is not spicy at all but if you need more spice just add finely chopped green chillies and increase the quantity of pepper powder. Also add just a little salt because spinach has salt moreover we will be adding cheese later.

In a bowl, take the eggs and whisk. Add the spinach mushrooms mixture, grated cheese, milk or cream and the nutmeg powder and mix.

Fill the pie crust with the custard filling. Bake at 180 degrees for 25 to 30 mins till the custard becomes firm and the toothpick comes out clean.

Serve warm.

You can make a variety of filling like chicken and spinach combo, or fried golden onions and mushrooms combo. The possibilities are endless and it totally depends on your palette. So go ahead and make your own quiche.....

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