Broccoli Garlic Quiche

From the kitchen of Carly

Buttery pastry cradles roasted broccoli, garlic, and sharp Cheddar in a silky custard spiked with nutmeg and cayenne. Nutty, savory, and substantial enough for dinner, this quiche proves vegetable-forward can mean deeply satisfying, not virtuous.

Broccoli Garlic Quiche

Broccoli gets sweet and soft when blanched, then nestles into a silky egg custard spiked with sharp Cheddar and a whisper of cayenne. The trick is not overbaking, the custard still trembles when it comes out of the oven and sets as it cools. A proper pie crust, blind-baked until golden, keeps everything crisp underneath.

Prep
n/a
Cook
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Total
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Servings
4
Difficulty
medium

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 1All-butter pastry dough
  • 10 ozbroccoli florets
  • 2 largegarlic cloves
  • 6 largeeggs
  • 1 1/2 cuphalf-and-half
  • 1/4 tspgrated nutmeg
  • 1/4 tspcayenne
  • 5 ozextra-sharp Cheddar, coarsely grated
  • 1/4 cupgrated Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • 1Equipment: a 9 1/2-inch deep-dish pie plate or a 9-inch round fluted tart pan with removable bottom; pie weights or dried beans

Instructions

  1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 375°F.

  2. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 13-inch round. Fit it into the pie plate, letting the excess drape over the edge. Fold that overhang inward and press it firmly against the side of the plate to build up a sturdy edge. Prick the bottom all over with a fork, then refrigerate until the dough is firm, about 30 minutes.

  3. Line the chilled shell with foil and fill it with pie weights. Slide it into the oven and bake until the pastry is set and the edge has turned pale golden, 20 to 25 minutes.

  4. Carefully lift out the foil and weights, then return the shell to the oven until it is deep golden all over, 15 to 20 minutes more. Set the pie plate inside a 4-sided sheet pan and keep the oven on.

  5. While the shell finishes baking, bring a 3-quart pot of salted water to a boil and cook the broccoli for 4 minutes. Drain it, rinse under cold water to halt the cooking, then pat thoroughly dry.

  6. Work the garlic into a smooth paste on your cutting board, mincing and mashing it with a generous pinch of salt.

  7. In a large bowl, whisk together the garlic paste, eggs, half-and-half, nutmeg, cayenne, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until the mixture is completely smooth.

  8. Pour the custard into the baked shell, nestle the broccoli florets in evenly, then scatter both cheeses over the top.

  9. Bake the quiche until the custard is just set, 45 to 50 minutes. The center will tremble slightly when you nudge the pan; it will continue firming up as it cools. Rest for at least 20 minutes before slicing.

  10. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tips from the kitchen

  • Blanch the broccoli only 4 minutes so it stays bright and tender without turning mushy, then ice bath it immediately to halt cooking.
  • Mince your garlic into a paste with salt before whisking into the custard, it distributes evenly and tastes less raw than chopped pieces.
  • Watch the center carefully starting at 40 minutes, quiche bakes fast toward the end and a trembling center is done, a jiggly one is overdone.

Variations

  • Swap the broccoli for roasted cauliflower and add fresh thyme, the earthiness plays well with the sharp cheese.
  • Use sharp white Cheddar instead of orange and mix in crispy bacon pieces, skip the cayenne if bacon is your heat source.
  • Go Mediterranean, skip the cayenne and nutmeg, use half Gruyere and half Parmigiano, and add a handful of chopped fresh herbs like dill or chives.

Make ahead and storage

Keeps in the fridge up to 4 days in an airtight container. Freezes well up to 3 months, thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently at 325°F for 20 to 25 minutes.