No one: "You know, quiche really isn't indulgent enough. It's just not rich or creamy or flavorful." Me: "Hold my beer while I whip half a pound of brie into all the herbs and tasty greens, add copious amounts of eggs and cream, and bake this extravagance in sourdough strata laced with salty spikes of cured ham." Oh, and we're going to make good use of old bread (because I always and never have too much or too little bread in my house) and prepare it in a blender to make everything ridiculously simple.
Flavors of earthy herbs, buttery cream, salty prosciutto, creamy brie, and tangy sourdough. Textures of the creamy cheese, soft and crispy crust, tiny chews of ham, and pillowy quiche.
In a large bowl
4 heaping cups of really, really dry sourdough bread cubes
1/4 cup (57g) heavy cream
1 cup (227g) whole milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup (113g) prosciutto, diced
1/2 cup (64g) Parmesan cheese, grated
Several good cranks of salt and black pepper
In a blender
1 cup (205g) roasted leeks
2 cups, packed, (102g) spinach
1/2 cup, packed, (15g) of Italian parsley
1 tablespoon of fresh dill
1/2 pound (113g) of Brie
1 tablespoon of whole milk
2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon salt
Hanging out on the sidelines
5 large eggs
2 cups (454g) heavy cream
1
Make the crust. Line a standard 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and lightly spray with nonstick spray. Toss together the crust ingredients- from the old bread to the salt and pepper- in a large bowl and stick it in the fridge for at least an hour so everything absorbs. Roast the leeks during this time.
2
Cut 3 large leeks into big pieces and rinse thoroughly. Scatter the leeks on a baking sheet, toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Once preheated, roast the leeks for 40-45 minutes until soft and slightly golden but not browned. Remove and let cool.
3
After letting the bread absorb all that creaminess, spread the mixture on the bottom and along the sides of the prepared springform pan, lightly pressing the bread into a crust shape. Don't press hard because we don't want to squish the life out of it- we want a texture like strata and not like a disappointing sandwich you accidentally sat on. Throw the crust in the fridge while you preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
4
Once your oven is preheated, remove the crust from your fridge and bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, drop the temperature to 350 degrees, remove the pan from the oven, and set aside while you make the filling.
5
Blend everything from the roasted leeks to the salt to make the filling. You don't need a heavy-duty Vitamix here, but you do need a solid blender. Crank up the speed and let it go for several minutes so the mixture is bright green and the herbs and spinach are broken down.
6
Add the whole eggs and additional heavy cream to the blender and pulse until everything is thoroughly combined. Pour the filling into the par-baked crust, place the pan on the center rack of your oven, and bake for about one hour. The center of the quiche will still have a little wobble, but the surface should be cooked. Remove the quiche and let cool for several hours before cutting in. If you'd like a little extra green, chop up some leftover herbs and douse the top.
