Quiche or tart? That is the question.
At least, that is the question I posed to my twitterverse yesterday as I was making this dish. When baking an egg mixture in pastry shell in a tart pan, is it a quiche or a tart?
Turns out (thanks to @EpicureanJourney) that a quiche is actually a type of tart, and that quiche refers to the fact that it is an egg mixture (typically savory with cheese) that is baked in a pastry crust. Not all tarts, however, are quiches (kind of like squares and rectangles… Oh right, I am the math dork and no one else cares about geometry).
Just to be sure (always checking my facts, you see…), I looked at the wikipedia page for “quiche” and sure enough, a quiche is a “baked dish that is based on a custard made from eggs and milk or cream in a pastry crust.” The article says nothing about the type of pan it is baked in.
So, I have decided that this is, in fact, a quiche – a broccoli and cheese quiche baked in a tart pan. Now you can’t say I never taught you anything (unless of course you already knew all about the nuances of tarts and quiches).
Broccoli and Cheese Quiche
- 6 ounces flour (or approximately 1 to 1 1/4 cups)
- 4 ounces cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces (1 stick)
- 2 ounces cold water (about 1/4 cup)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large (or two small) cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 large head broccoli, cut into florets
- 2 eggs + 2 egg whites
- 1/3 cup milk
- 2 ounces colby jack cheese, shredded
Measure the flour into a mixing bowl, and add the pieces cold butter. Using a pastry blender or your finger tips, combine (or cut) the butter into the flour, forming a crumb-like mixture. Gradually, add the cold water, and blend just until the mixture resembles a dough. Do not overwork. The dough will be a bit crumbly. Form the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.
While the dough rests, preheat the oven to 375°F. Once the dough has chilled, place it on a lightly floured surface and roll out to about a 1/4 inch thickness. Transfer the dough to a tart pan, and remove any excess dough from the edges. Place a piece of parchment over the unbaked crust, and fill with pie weights or beans. Blind bake the crust for 15 minutes. Then, remove the weights and parchment paper, return to the oven, and bake for an additional 10 – 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion, and broccoli, and saute until tender. Transfer the vegetables to the baked crust.
In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg whites, and milk. Pour the mixture down over the broccoli mixture in the prepared crust. Sprinkle with the shredded cheese.
Bake the filled crust for 30 – 35 minutes, until cooked through. If desired, broil for an additional 2-3 minutes, until the cheese on top is bubbly and golden. Serve immediately.
I don’t care what it is called, I will have a slice any day!
Funny we both put something up with broccoli and cheese. I’d have to say it’s a hybrid! A quiart or a tarche. lol. Either way. It’s a great combo.
You can call it whatever you want and it looks incredibly delicious.
It’s a “quiche tart” :) and it’s gorgeous!!!
Whether is a quiche or tart it looks fantastic to me!
such a gorgeous quiche…love it.
This looks absolutely delicious!
Mmm, I love anything quiche. I rarely make it because my husband doesn’t like it, but I think it’s the perfect breakfast dish!
I love your quiche tart :-)
What a beautiful quiche! I used to have the hardest time making quiche until I bought the pan with the “magic” removale bottom. Brilliant!
This is a gorgeous quiche. Never tried it with broccoli yet. They’re very elegant too.
I love quiche and have never had one with broccoli and cheese – I will definitely try this recipe!
What is in a name? It is the taste of the food that counts and this sounds like a great combo. I would eat this, any time.
Haha I’m a math dork too so I appreciated that part of your post :) The quiche looks awesome! I rarely make quiche but sometimes do it around the holidays as a special breakfast.
great recipe, just tried now, thanks for posting