When you're looking for a simple and affordable dish to impress, look no further than Quiche Florentine, a combination of an egg custard baked in a pie crust with spinach and Swiss cheese. Not only is it utterly delicious and a wee bit fancy, but it's also vegetarian, making it a welcome addition to breakfast, lunch, or dinner!
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place a pie or quiche pan on a small baking sheet to make it easier to handle and to catch the drips. Lay the prepared pie crust into the quiche pan and trim the edges. If blind baking the crust, follow directions in the Notes section.
Layer the spinach in the bottom of the prepared pan. Combine the cheese with the flour in a small dish and toss to coat. Sprinkle this over the spinach.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs and half and half. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour this mixture over the fillings in the pie shell.
Bake the quiche for 30 to 40 minutes or until set and golden. Allow to cool slightly before serving.
Notes
To blind bake the crust:Line the pie plate with the crust, trim, and crimp the edges. Chill the pie crust in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Wrap a sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil or parchment closely in the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate. Fill it with your chosen pie weights.Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Carefully remove the weights and foil. It may stick so do it slowly to prevent tearing.Continue baking for another 10 to 15 minutes until the crust is golden brown. Immediately add the filling and continue to bake until the quiche is done.To make as a freezer meal: Assemble the quiche (with an unbaked crust) and place the unbaked quiche on a level shelf in the freezer until frozen solid. Wrap well and label.Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Unwrap the frozen quiche and place it on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any spills. Do not thaw. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.Variations: While Quiche Florentine is classically Swiss cheese and spinach, there are lots of things you can add to give it a twist, such as:
a different type of cheese, such as cheddar or goat cheese
chopped and sautéed vegetables - a great use of leftovers