broccoli quiche tart with cornmeal cheddar crust
This broccoli quiche tart is perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Serve with a side of baked beans.
Ingredients
cornmeal cheddar crust
- 100 grams all-purpose flour (1 scant cup)
- 50 grams cornmeal (⅓ cup)
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 113 grams butter (½ cup, cut into cubes and chilled)
- ⅓ cup cheddar cheese (shredded)
- 1 egg yolk (reserve egg white for quiche filling)
- 1 tablespoon ice water
broccoli quiche filling
- 3 tablespoon butter (divided)
- ½ cup onion (diced)
- 1 cup broccoli (fresh or frozen, stalks and florets, diced)
- 1½ tablespoon flour
- ¾ cup milk
- salt and pepper
- 2 large eggs (lightly beaten)
- 1 egg white (leftover from crust)
- ¾ cup low-moisture mozzarella cheese (shredded)
Instructions
cornmeal cheddar tart crust dough
- Cut butter into cubes. Grate cheddar cheese. Combine in a bowl or container in the fridge and chill until ready to use.
- In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together flour, cornmeal, and salt.
- Add chilled butter and cheese. Continue pulsing until the flour mixture is the texture of sand.
- Add the egg yolk and pulse to combine.
- With the machine running on low, drizzle in 1 tablespoon ice water. Let the machine run 15-20 seconds more. The dough should come together and form a ball on the blade in the bowl. If it doesn't, add the tiniest bit more ice water. Repeat, letting the machine run after each addition of water, until the dough forms a ball. Resist adding any more water than you absolutely need to.
- Shape the dough into a flat disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill in the fridge 30 minutes.
- Spray a 9" fluted tart pan with removable bottom generously with non-stick spray.
- Unwrap the dough and press it into the bottom of the tart pan. Use your hands to press it flat into all the corners and edges, and up the sides of the pan. This may take 5-10 minutes to finesse. Periodically run a knife or bench scraper flat along the rim of the pan to trim off any excess dough. Use that dough to patch thin spots.
- Use a round container with a flat bottom and 90° angled sides to really press the tart crust into the corners at a right angle. When the tart is pressed in and even all the way around (it should be about ⅛" thick), dock the crust all over with a fork to prevent bubbling.
- Wrap the crust in saran wrap and place it in the freezer for at least 20 minutes or up to a week before baking.
broccoli quiche filling, assembly, and baking
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Remove the frozen tart shell from the freezer. Bake the tart crust for 15 minutes so that it doesn't get soggy when you add the filling.
- While the crust bakes, make the filling: Lightly beat the eggs, then add the mozzarella to the egg mixture and stir to combine. Set aside.
- Melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Sauté onion and broccoli until onion is soft and broccoli is bright green. Remove from skillet.
- In the same skillet, melt an additional 2 tablespoon butter over low medium heat. As soon as the butter melts, whisk in the flour and stir until a thick paste forms.
- Gradually whisk in the milk and continue whisking until the paste becomes thick and smooth. This is your roux. Season with salt and pepper, then gradually whisk the egg and cheese mixture into the roux. Adding the eggs gradually prevents them from scrambling. Keep stirring until quite thick and creamy, a few minutes more.
- Finally, add the broccoli and onion back to the skillet and stir to combine. Remove the skillet from the stove.
- When the crust is done, remove it from the oven. If it has bubbled up at all, poke it gently with a fork so that it settles down.
- Pour the broccoli filling into the crust, making sure not to go over the top edge. Top it with a generous blanket of shredded cheddar cheese.
- Place the filled tart shell on a sheet pan (in case of spillage) and bake the quiche for 30 minutes until cheese has browned and the filling has domed slightly on top.
- Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack. The filling will settle down as it cools Place the tart pan on a small overturned bowl or cup and let the outer ring fall off.
- Let cool 10-15 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature.
RECIPE NOTES
- Resist adding any more ice water to the tart dough than you need to. The water evaporates when the tart bakes causing shrinkage — you really want to keep the amount of liquid here absolutely minimal. If you live somewhere humid, you may not even need any water.