Do you watch for recipes for meatless main-dishes? I bypassed meat for some years so have many in my collection. I’m a regular carnivore again but this quiche remains a favorite for brunch and light suppers.
With just three eggs and low-fat mozzarella and evaporated skim milk, it’s lighter than most but still rich with onion-tomato-cheese-basil flavors.
Fresh basil is essential so unless it is available at your grocery or you have some in the freezer, make this in summer when you have basil in the garden or can beg some from a neighbor who does!
PRESERVING BASIL in the freezer is easy. Cut stems from leaves. Wash and dry two cups packed leaves (I use a lettuce spinner). Chop with 2 tablespoons olive oil in a food processor. Freeze in ice cube trays and transfer to a heavy freezer bag until ready to use. BASIL-CREAM CHEESE DIP is pungent with garlic. Chop 3–4 basil leaves and 2 cloves garlic in a food processor. Add 8 ounces cream cheese, ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, ½ cup toasted walnuts. Blend thoroughly. Add olive oil a few drops at a time until creamy. Serve on crackers or thin-sliced bread.
TOMATO BASIL QUICHE
Total preparation time: 70 minutes
10 servings
- 1 unbaked pastry shell
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 8 ounces part-skim mozzarella, shredded
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 1 cup evaporated skim milk
- 1-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh pepper
- 3 eggs
Place pastry in 10-inch deep-dish pie pan. Softly sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until golden. Spread onions and then cheese over pastry. Arrange tomatoes decoratively in a single layer over cheese. Arrange chopped basil atop tomatoes. (You can prepare ahead this far, making later preparations extra quick.)
In a blender, combine remaining ingredients and blend well. Carefully pour into pie shell without disturbing tomatoes. Bake 45 minutes at 350F or until knife inserted in middle can be removed clean. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.
More Great Brunch Recipes
• I often serve this tomato quiche for brunch at my annual cookie swap. It's relatively light, leaving room for cookie tasting (!) and Christmas parties that night; and vegetarian, which accommodates several guests; and pretty! making the hostess happy; and delicious! making everyone happy.
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Your Comments:
What a great recipe, it looks so impressive. I'd like to entertain for brunch because it's more casual and less expensive, but I just hate waking up early! Perhaps I could make most of the stuff the night before ...
-Kelly