Crustless quiche is, according to my French-speaking spouse, an oxymoron. He says there cannot be a quiche without a crust. I say, tell that to the countless blogs and recipes populating the Google search results page.
If you agree with him, feel free to consider this dish a crust-free, vegetable-filled custard, a rich frittata, or an oven-baked omelet, although that last one may get me into trouble, too.
Whatever you call it, think of this quick, protein-packed entree as a template for all kinds of seasonal variations. To serve four with a salad and bread, you’ll want to plan on 2 cups of small (or finely diced), cooked vegetables, five large eggs, 3/4 cup half-and-half, and enough cheese to generously cover the top. In the recipe below, I use microwaved frozen peas, crumbled goat cheese, and a touch of freshly grated nutmeg. You could easily swap in gently cooked diced zucchini and grated Parmesan, steamed spinach and Gruyère, or perhaps roasted red peppers and feta. If you want to add some meat, diced ham is versatile and excellent in any of these ingredient combinations.
The cooking process is equally simple. Grease a pie plate with olive oil, add the cooked vegetables, and top with the eggs beaten into the half-and-half, then the cheese. A hot, 450-degree oven will bake the center through to just-set perfection in about 25 minutes, leaving you plenty of time to assemble a side salad and toast some bread.
If you have any leftovers, just like a traditional quiche, these crustless wedges are delicious served at room temperature or cold, straight from the fridge.
Credit: Chris Hunt
Credit: Chris Hunt
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