Spinach mushroom quiche  

I've made this quiche for the past three Thanksgivings. It's a good hearty vegetarian dish, important since my wife and my sister are both vegetarians. Don't skimp on the cheese -- the Gruyere makes a huge difference. Sorry if the instructions for the crust aren't comprehensive enough, but I have to get back to the kitchen. One of these days I'm just going to write a book on pies...

For the crust:
1 stick butter, chilled
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
ice water

For the filling:
3/4 cup sweet yellow onion, finely chopped
1/2 lb small mushrooms, rinsed and halved
1 tbsp butter
6 oz fresh baby spinach, rinsed
4 eggs
3/4 cup whole milk
1/2 lb Gruyere or other flavorful swiss cheese, grated
salt & pepper to taste

1. Combine the butter and flour with the back of a fork or a food processer until it looks like cornmeal.

2. Add a couple tablespoons of ice water and gently mix with the flour/butter mixture until the water is evenly distributed. Add another couple tablespoons of water, mix it in, and gently work the dough into a ball. It's OK to add more water if you need it, but it's better to have the dough crumbly than soggy.

3. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for half an hour or so. After it's rested, roll the dough out on a flat, cool surface. Put it in the pie plate, poke holes in the bottom with a fork, and flute the edges. Bake at 375F for about 12 minutes, until the middle starts to puff up.

4. Melt 1 tbsp butter in a frying pan on medium heat. Once the butter is hot (but before it burns!), add the onions and saute for a few minutes. Reduce the heat if necessary -- the goal is to caramelize them. Once they start to brown, add the mushrooms and saute until soft, seasoning liberally with salt and pepper.

5. Add about half an inch of water to the smallest saucepan you have. Cram all the spinach into the saucepan, put the lid on, and boil the water just long enough to steam the spinach. Drain the water and add cold water immediately (this will help the spinach it retain its bright green color instead of continuing to cook).

6. In a bowl, beat the 4 eggs together and whisk in the milk and plenty of salt and pepper.

7. Drain the spinach, squeezing out as much water as possible. Spread a layer of about half the grated cheese on the bottom of the crust. On top of his, layer the mushroom and onion mixture, the spinach, and finally the rest of the cheese. Pour as much of the egg mixture as you can over the top, and return to the oven. Bake at 350F about 25 minutes, or until a knife poked into the center comes out clean.

[updated November 29, 2007]