Back in my college days, I spent a semester in France. While my diet was largely comprised of nutella crepes and airy baguettes smothered in brie, I also took great liberties to indulge in as much quiche as humanly possible. As a quick side note, quiche means cake in German. For good reason. They look lovely all cooked up and the anticipation of that first slice is nearly impossible to contain.
The best quiche I had in Paris was not at a fancy pants restaurant (fine dining was not a priority as a poor college student) but rather at a teensy bistro on the Rue du Renard. I was making my way to class after a morning stroll across Pont Neuf and had about three euros burning a hole in my pocket. Since it was late January, the streets were almost empty. Paris in the winter is my favorite. It's quiet and a little lonely. Bare branches let you see, in full, the beautiful building facades that are usually hidden by leafy greens. And when it snows it's like walking in your own private snow globe.
Anyway, I was hungry. I peeked into this bistro and saw row after row of golden quiche. How could I resist? I pointed at a Gruyere quiche sprinkled with crisp bits of smoked bacon. The man at the counter heated a slice in the oven and presented me the quiche on a warm white plate, tendrils of steam lacing through the air. We were the only people in the joint and he gave me a little smile as I took my first bite. Heaven. When I tasted this hash brown/goat cheese quiche concoction, this memory flashed Proust-style in my head. Not because the flavors were the same, but because the sensation was: something warm to keep the cold at bay, something almost tender in its quiet simplicity.
And so I present to you heaven in quiche form. It has a crisp golden hash brown crust surrounding a custard of fluffy, practically flan-like eggs. Oh, and it has goat cheese. A whole log of goat cheese. And then some more cheese. It makes, hands down, the most perfect spring brunch. Plus, since you can make the crust and filling the night before, I imagine it would make any Easter morning shine more brightly. If you're looking to add a little sweetness to your brunch spread, I highly recommend the lemon blueberry cheesecake swirl rolls from last week.
HASH BROWN CRUST QUICHE WITH GOAT CHEESE AND GREEN ONIONS
Adapted from Martha Stewart
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 package (1 pound) hash browns, thawed if frozen
- 1/2 cup shredded Italian cheese
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon of your favorite dried herbs (I used oregano and basil)
- 12 large eggs
- 16 oz. reduced-fat sour cream
- 1 log (4-5 oz.) goat cheese, room temperature
- 1/4 cup Parmesan
- 1/2 cup green onions, sliced
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush a 9-by-2 1/2 inch springform pan with butter and line the sides and bottom with strips of parchment paper. Brush the paper with butter. The butter will help the hash brown crust get nice and golden. Using a potato ricer (this Ikea gem is our favorite) or your hands, squeeze the hash browns. Getting all the water out will also help the crust get crisp.
Mix the hash browns with about 2 tablespoons melted butter, 1 egg, 1/2 cup of shredded Italian cheese, garlic and onion powders, dried herbs, salt and pepper. Press the mix into the pan, using a dry measuring cup to press the crust up the sides of the pan. Bake for about 20 minutes, until lightly browned.
While the crust is baking, whisk sour cream, goat cheese, salt and pepper together. I added more garlic and onion powder to this mix to help give it more flavor. Whisk in the 11 remaining eggs. Add sliced green onions. Pour into baked crust and sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake until set, about 50 minutes. The center should still be just a tad wobbly, while the sides will be set. Add some more Italian cheese, if you want (and you definitely do), and broil until the cheese is melted and browned.
Unmold the springform and peel off the parchment paper. Serve with asparagus (toss in 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper roasted for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. We popped the asparagus in about halfway through the quiche's cooking time and it came out just fine). Thank your lucky stars that spring is almost here!
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