Roasting the broccoli brings out its natural sweetness, creating the perfect partner for the sharp white cheddar.
I've been
menu-planning for well over a year now, and I'm not ashamed to admit that I enjoy going back to see how I've structured our meals. Of course, I'm also embarrassed to admit that I have very little imagination when it comes to choosing a vegetable to serve as a side dish.
When in doubt, I typically pick broccoli because Stephen and I both love eating it (a plus) and because it's such a versatile vegetable. Steamed broccoli is a favorite side when I make grilled steak with
Fiery Pomegranate Sauce, while sauteed broccoli is a favorite topping on Pizza Night.
But my absolute favorite way to prepare broccoli is to roast it. And I've finally developed a recipe that allows roasted broccoli to shine as a main ingredient rather than as a side.
Actually, I obsessed over the idea of pairing roasted broccoli and white cheddar in a quiche. I thought it would be a breeze to simply adapt my recipe for
Spinach and Gruyere Quiche to accommodate the broccoli and white cheddar, but I was so, so wrong.
My first attempt was an utter disaster. The eggs took forever to set and even after a full hour in the oven, the quiche was still on the loose side.
Of course, I was more upset about wasting a perfectly good batch of roasted broccoli than about the unappealing texture of the quiche.
My second attempt took less time to bake (thank goodness), but I still wasn't happy with the texture or the final appearance. Since nothing was wrong with the flavor, we ate the quiche anyway.
I was determined to get it right.
Even if that meant making the third quiche in three weeks.
Turns out, the third time really is the charm.
The quiche had great flavor and texture and baked within a reasonable amount of time. The balance between the slight sweetness of the roasted broccoli and the sharpness of the white cheddar was spot on, and I couldn't have been happier with the final product.
And just in time, too. While Stephen is very supportive of my cooking endeavors and, generally, very happy to eat whatever I put in front of him, I doubt he'd express any excitement over eating a fourth quiche.
I could be wrong, though... There's a first time for everything. ;-)
Roasted Broccoli and White Cheddar Quiche
Roasting the broccoli brings out its natural sweetness, creating the perfect partner for the sharp white cheddar.
Prep Time:
5 minutes
Cook Time:
1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time:
1 hour 10 minutes
INGREDIENTS
-
1 9-inch
frozen pie crust
-
2 cups
broccoli florets
-
2 tablespoons
extra-virgin olive oil
-
Salt
-
Black pepper
-
3 large
eggs, slightly beaten
-
1 cup
milk
-
1/8 teaspoon
black pepper
-
1 1/2 cups
white cheddar, shredded
INSTRUCTIONS
-
Preheat oven according to directions on pie crust package.
-
With a fork, prick the pie crust several times. These holes will prevent the crust from swelling while in the oven. Place the pie crust on a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes.
-
Remove pie crust from the oven. Adjust the temperature to 400°F if not already set there.
-
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place the broccoli florets on the sheet. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place the broccoli in the oven and roast for 15 minutes. Remove the broccoli from the oven and set aside.
-
Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.
-
In a large bowl, gently combine the eggs, milk, black pepper, and white cheddar until thoroughly incorporated. Fold in the roasted broccoli florets.
-
Carefully pour the egg and broccoli into the pie crust and bake until firm and the top is golden brown, about 45 minutes.
-
Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature.
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