Roasted Bell Pepper and Spinach Mushroom Quiche- Mission Toscano

This was something that I had already tried long back and I make Spinach and mushroom quiche pretty often......and it sells like crazy at home.....Freshly baked quiche at home....then I guarantee it will vanish within few minutes.

The difference between the quiche I make and the one I learnt at Toscano was the base.....the one I make is very light and crispy...the Toscano one is little thick and soft.Roasted bell pepper quiche is a must try......and Spinach and mushroom is an amazing combination for quiche.  

Okay ...I have tried 3 out of 4 'Mission Toscano' recipes....I am dreading the last one....

Ingredients
print this recipe
For Quiche Crust

• 130grams Flour
• 30 grams Butter,softened
• 1 egg
• 7grams Salt
• Cold water as required

For Cream Sauce

• 4 eggs
• 400 ml Cream
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste
• 2 tsp chilli flakes
• 200 grams cheese (grated)

For Roasted bell pepper filling

• 3 Bell peppers(green,red and yellow)
• 1 small Onion ,chopped
• 5 cloves Garlic ,crushed
• 1tsp Chilli flakes,optional
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp Butter

For Spinach Mushroom filling

• 300 grams Spinach
• 200 grams Mushroom(chopped)
• 1 small Onion,chopped
• 5 cloves Garlic, crushed
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• 2 tsp Chilli flakes
• 2 tbsp Butter

Method for Crust

1. In a bowl combine flour, egg,salt and butter. Add enough cold water to make a soft dough.
2. Wrap with clingfilm and let it rest in the refrigerator for 45 minutes.
3. After resting the dough,roll out the dough to fit a pie dish or loose bottom pie dish. I used one 7 inch and two 5 inch loose bottom pie dish.Press the dough evenly into the bottom and sides and cut off the excess dough that's hanging out.
4. Preheat oven at 180 degree C.
5. Place a baking paper or aluminium foil on the pie crust and place any kind of dried beans on the baking paper to avoid the crust from puffing up. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes
6.  Now get the crust out of the oven, remove the dried beans and baking paper and prick the crust with a fork and bake again for10 minutes or till the crust turns golden brown. This is called 'Baking Blind' --Baking the pie crust completely before pouring in the filling.

Method for cream sauce

1. In a bowl combine cream,eggs,salt, pepper ,chilli flakes and 100grams cheese.Keep aside.

Method for Bell pepper filling

1. Roast the bell pepper in an oven or on gas top till the skins of the peppers are charred.Place the bell peppers in a bowl and cover with clingfilm and let it rest for 20 minutes.
2. Remove the charred skin (do not wash with water),you won't be able to remove all the skin, leave the bits of charred skin as it is. Cut the tips of the bell pepper and discard the seed.Slice the bell peppers lengthwise.
3. Place a pan on medium flame, melt butter,add onion and saute for few minutes and add garlic and saute for a minute ,now add the roasted bell pepper,season with salt pepper and chilli flakes and saute for two minutes.Take off the flame and let it cool completely.

Method for spinach mushroom filling

1.Wash and cook spinach in 1/4 cup water for few minutes. Drain and squeeze out excess water and chop the spinach leaves. Keep this aside.
2. Place a pan on medium flame, melt 2tbsp butter and fry onion till they turn golden brown and crisp ,add chopped garlic and fry for a minute.
3.  Add the chopped mushroom and cook till the mushroom turns light golden brown. Add the chopped spinach, salt(add little salt )and chilli flakes and stir for few minutes till the moisture evaporates.Take off the flame.Let it cool completely.

Assemble the Quiche

1. Place the filling inside the baked pie crust and fill with cream sauce.
2. Sprinkle grated cheese on top and bake in preheated oven 180 degree C for 45 minutes or till the quiche is set and the top has browned slightly.
3. Remove from oven and let it rest for few minutes.Serve warm.

Spinach and Mushroom Quiche

This is from my friend / faaaar cousin / senior/ blah / blah / blah...........Gargi Shetty...a special person who can brighten anyone s mood (ohhh she is going to get me for this)

Gargi had a request ...she wanted me to put up some baked dish...and  ME who wasn't thinking straight gave her a choice......Cake, Muffin....or Quiche . Seriously hoping that would not choose quiche (coz I have never baked one).............But Gargi had to choose ......QUICHE.

I know Gargi wanted a healthy dish...but I am not sure this one is....lot of butter and cream.But this quiche was fabulous.Maybe next time I will try to put up a healthy frittata.

So Gargi this one is for you .........you better bake a quiche......seriously.

Ingredients
Print this recipe
Pie crust

• 1 1/4 cup Flour (155 grams)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup butter chilled and diced (115grams)
• 1/4 cup cold water (60ml)

For filling : recipe from here

• 300 grams Spinach
• 200 grams Mushroom(chopped)
• 1 small onion (chopped)
• 5 cloves garlic (chopped)
• 4 eggs
• 400 ml Cream
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste
• 2 tsp chilli flakes
• 250 grams cheese (grated)
• 2 tbsp butter

Method for filling:

1.Wash and cook spinach in 1/4 cup water for few minutes. Drain and squeeze out excess water and chop the spinach leaves. Keep this aside.
2. Place a pan on medium flame, melt 1 tbsp butter and fry onion till they turn golden brown and crisp ,add chopped garlic and fry for a minute. transfer to a small bowl.
3. In the same pan melt 1 tbsp butter and add the chopped mushroom and cook till the mushroom turns light golden brown. Add the chopped spinach, salt(add little salt )and chilli flakes and stir for few minutes till the moisture evaporates. Now add the fried onion and garlic. Take off the flame.Let it cool completely.
4. Now break in 4 eggs and pour in the cream and mix till well combined add little salt and pepper and mix. Now add 200 grams of grated cheese and combine. Keep aside till further use.

Method For Pie crust

1.In a bowl combine flour and salt. Add the diced butter and cut in with a fork or pinch with your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in water, one tablespoon at a time until the mixture forms a ball(it should not be too sticky) .Wrap in cling wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.
2.Roll out the dough ( watch video) to fit a 7 inch pie dish or loose bottom pie dish. Press the dough evenly into the bottom and sides and cut off the excess dough that's hanging out.
3. Preheat oven at 180 degree C.

4. Place a baking sheet on the pie crust and place any kind of dried beans on the baking paper to avoid the crust from puffing up. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.

5. Now get the crust out of the oven, remove the dried beans and baking paper and prick the crust with a fork and bake again for 5 minutes or till the crust turns golden brown. This is called 'Baking Blind' --Baking the pie crust completely before pouring in the filling.

6. Pour the spinach-mushroom-cream-egg and cheese mixture into the baked pie crust . Sprinkle the remaining 50 grams grated cheese on top of the quiche and Bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes(or more) at 180 degree C.

7. you will know the the quiche is done when its browned on the top and when  you press the quiche it will spring back slightly.

8. Remove from oven and place on wire rack and let the quiche cool for few minutes. Try to loosen the sides and remove the quiche from the tart pan or you serve it from the dish itself.
9. Serve the quiche when its warm.

Note:The pie crust recipe was for a 9 inch pie dish, so I had left over pie crust dough,which can be used again. I also had leftover quiche filling. I made mini quiche's using a muffin pan next day.

Cheesy Mushroom Caps

I have 3 amazing Aunts  who are unique in their own way. Babli Aunty is the innovative cook of our family....she can make an amazing dish out of nothing..... Sharmila Aunty is the North Indian food specialist and last but not least my Babu Aunty, I feel  I am more like her, she loves to try out different recipes. 

Babu aunty and my Mom watch a lot of cookery shows, the only difference is my Mom watches and does nothing about it(she likes to stick to her Mangalorean dishes), but Babu Aunty heads to the kitchen tries out the recipes. 

 My Aunt had made these 2 dishes for a party recently.......Mushroom caps and bread pudding ...I just loved it and wanted to try it out.So here it is, thank you for the recipes Babu Aunty.

Babu aunty

Ingredients
Print this recipe

• 200 grms Mushroom
• 1 small bunch Spinach (washed and chopped)
• 2 Green chillies (finely chopped)
• 2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp all purpose flour
• 1 cup milk
• salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup grated cheese

Method

1. Wash mushroom and remove the stem .Chop the stems finely.
2. Prepare the sauce for filling: Place pan on medium flame, add 2 tbsp butter, when butter melts add garlic and fry for few seconds, add chopped mushroom stems, green chillies and spinach and fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Now add Flour and fry for 2 minutes and add milk and keep stirring till the sauce thickens. Add salt and pepper. Take off flame and keep aside.
3. Place another pan on medium flame and add 1 tbsp butter, when it melts add the mushroom and little salt, cover and cook till the mushroom is 90 % cooked (5 minutes).remove the mushroom and place on a baking sheet lined with baking paper.
4. To assemble :place 1 tsp of filling inside the mushroom caps. Place 2 tsp of grated cheese on top of the filling.Pop it in a pre heated oven at 180 degree C till the cheese melts.(microwave can be used)
5. Serve as an appetizer.

Note: Instead of cooking the mushroom, you can prick the washed mushroom, apply butter to the mushroom, put the filling and bake in the oven then top with cheese and melt the cheese in the oven (this procedure takes and longer time).

I prefer cooking the mushroom separately, this way I can keep the mushrooms ready for parties and when the guests arrive all I have to do is fill up the mushroom, top it with cheese and bake in the oven or pop it in the microwave to  melt the cheese.

Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna

Ingredients for lasagna

print this recipe

• 200 grms Lasagna sheets
• spinach and mushroom sauce
• red sauce
• mashed potatoes
• 200 grms shredded cheese

Ingredients for red sauce

• 1 tbsp olive oil
•  1 tsp chilli flakes
• 6 garlic finely chopped
• 1 finely chopped onion
• 200grms tomato puree or 100 grms tomato paste
• 2tsp sugar
• 1/2 capsicum chopped finely (optional)
• salt /pepper to taste
• 1 tsp basil
• 1tsp oregano

ingredients for mashed potatoes

• 4 medium potatoes boiled and mashed
• 3 tbsp salted butter
• 2 tbsp fresh bread crumbs
• pepper to taste.

Method for red sauce

1. Heat oil in a pan add garlic and saute add the onion. Saute for few seconds then add the chill powder, basil and oregano. Fry for 30 seconds and then add chopped capsicum and fry for 2 minutes.
2.  Add the tomato puree, salt, pepper and sugar. cook well (you can also add chicken at this point) If the consistency is too thick you can add few tablespoons of water.
3. Keep this aside till further use.

Method for mashed potatoes.

1. Mix potatoes,butter,breadcrumbs and pepper and mash together.
2. Mix and keep aside.

How to assemble the lasagna

1. Butter a oven safe bowl,place half of the mashed potatoes and spread evenly.

 2.Place lasagna sheets.

 3.Pour half of the red sauce on the lasagna sheets and sprinkle some cheese.
4.Pour half of the mushroom and spinach sauce on the cheese and sprinkle more cheese on the sauce.
5.Place lasagna sheets and continue with red sauce and cheese,

 6. The final top layer,place the remaining mashed potatoes,then the mushroom and spinach sauce and sprinkle cheese.
7.Place this dish inside a pre heated oven and bake for 10 minutes at 180 degree C or till the cheese melts.
8.Serve with garlic bread.

Creamy spinach and mushroom sauce

Spinach and mushroom sauce can be used in lasagna,pasta,fillings for canapes and cocktail puff pastries

Ingredients
Print this recipe

• Milk         2 cups
• butter        4 tbsp
• flour         4tbsp(maida)
• 2 bunch spinach (chopped finely)
• 250 grms button mushroom (chopped)
• pepper and salt to taste.

Method

1. Place a pan on medium high flame,add 1 tbsp butter, after butter melts add the chopped spinach leaves and cook till all the water evaporates.Add little salt and fry for a minute.Transfer into a bowl or plate and keep aside.
2. To the same pan add 1 tbsp butter,when it melts add chopped mushroom and fry till water evaporates and till mushroom turns brown,add little salt and fry for a minute,transfer into the same bowl as spinach.
3. Now prepare the white sauce.
4. Melt butter in a pan add maida and fry for a minute, make sure you fry it properly on medium low heat, if the maida is not cooked properly then the white sauce will have a weird paper taste.Add milk gradually and keep stirring or lumps will form(if you are making it for the first time then remove the pan away from the flame and add the milk, mix properly then put back on the flame again)
   cook well till you get smooth thick custard like consistency.Add pepper and salt.
5. Add the fried mushroom and spinach to the white sauce.
6. Spinach and mushroom sauce is ready.