As summer has come to a close, and autumn begins it’s progression I’d like to share one more recipe using tomatoes. This is something I throw together for lunch on a weekend. In the past I’ve always baked it in the oven, but this summer was so hot that I started making it on the top rack of my grill with the lid closed. In fact, I discovered that my grill makes a very good “oven”. Sometimes I make this with pie crust, but then it’s not a quick fix. You may notice that I don’t add salt to this recipe. Feta is salty enough that additional salt is not necessary.
Crustless Tomato Feta Quiche
4 ounces feta cheese, roughly crumbled
1 or 2 large hands full spinach or arugula, rinsed, dried and chopped
1 large handful basil leaves, rinsed, dried and chopped
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup milk or half & half
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 or 2 tomatoes, thinly sliced
Handful halved kalamata olives
Preheat oven or grill to about 400°F. Lightly coat the inside of a pie plate with olive oil. Place crumbled feta in the bottom of the pie plate. Layer the greens and basil over the cheese. Combine beaten egg, dairy, and nutmeg and pour over the cheese and greens. Arrange sliced tomatoes and olives over the top of the mixture and bake approximately 45 minutes, or until firm and lightly browned around the edges. Allow the quiche to cool for about 10 minutes before slicing.
Quiche is excellent chilled. A slice of cold quiche grabbed from the fridge makes great finger food on the fly. I’ve been know to grab a piece as I’m running out the door, and eat it in the car. If you’re one of those folks always rushed for breakfast, a quiche baked on the weekend can provide instant breakfast ready for your weekdays.
I’ve also adapted this recipe for party finger food. I get some of those Athens Fillo Shells that can be found in the freezer section at the market. I’ll warn you, they can be difficult to find in stock during the holiday season, so I try to keep several packages stored in my freezer. I place a small crumble of feta in the bottom of each shell, pour egg/dairy mixture over the cheese, and then garnish each with either a cherry tomato slice, or a kalamata olive half. These little guys are always a hit.
Oh, one last thought I almost forgot to add…. I’ve also been known to layer 3 or 4 sheets of fillo dough in the bottom of the pie plate for a light crust. I pop it in the oven for a couple of minutes to lightly brown, and assemble my quiche as usual.