March 3, 2015
I love quiche! I especially love quiche with a good flaky, buttery crust. That buttery crust is time consuming to make and sometimes a bit heavy. This recipe for a mushroom crust quiche is quite easy and still offers a very buttery flavor. It comes from a Sunset cookbook called Favorite Recipes II, C 1982. I’m certain my Aunt Ann from California gave me the book.

just out of the oven.

This is a recipe where the simplicity of eggs and cheese with mushrooms works so well together. There are no chunks of vegetables or meat…just smooth, silky deliciousness. It is perfect with a side salad, or soup. It can be made ahead and frozen before baking.

mushrooms before finely chopping

sauteeing mushrooms in butter

The recipe calls for a 9 inch pie pan. I always use a 10″ pie pan, so I will give the quantities used for both sizes. Unlike a traditional flour crust – the measurements of mushrooms, cracker crumbs and butter do not need to be exact. I have used both saltine crackers and ritz crackers for this recipe. I do think the plain flavor of the saltines is better than the richer flavor of the ritz – but either can work. There is plenty of butter in the crust, so it really is not necessary to grease the pan either. If you chop the mushrooms up finely enough in a food processor or blender, even those who don’t like mushrooms will enjoy the crust if they don’t know what’s in it!

sauteed mushrooms ready to add crackerk crumbs and form crust in pie pan

The recipe calls for shredded jack or swiss cheese. I tend to like a combo of cheeses – like swiss and cheddar. Last night I used monteray jack and cheddar. When you blend the cottage cheese and eggs together, it forms a nice custard that will easily set when baked.

cheese added to pie pan over formed crust

The quiche will continue to cook or set after you take it out of the oven. I try to push some of the cheese out of the middle before it bakes so the middle is not as deep as the sides. This helps the quiche cook evenly since the center is the last to cook.

ready for the oven

Mushroom Crust Quiche

9" pie makes four to six servings.

Preparation time about 20 minutes before baking.

Ingredients

5 TBS butter (7 TBS for 10″)
1/2 pound mushrooms course to finely chopped
1/2 cup finely crushed saltine crackers (1 cup for 10″)
3/4 cup choped green onions including tops (I often use regular onions or shallots about 1/2 cup)
2 cups (8 oz) shredded jack or swiss cheese (2 2/3 cups total for 10″)
1 cup small curd cottage cheese ( 1 1/3 cup for 10″)
3 eggs (5 eggs for 10″)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, and paprika

Instructions

In a wide frying pan over medium heat, melt 3 (or 5 for 10″) TBS butter. Add mushrooms and cook until soft. You want the mushrooms to sweat out their liquid. Stir in the saltine crackers and turn into a well greased 9″ (or 10″) pie pan. Press evenly over bottom and sides.

In pan, melt remaining 2 Tbs. butter. Add onions and cook until soft. Spread over crust and sprinkle evenly with shredded cheese. In blender or food processor whirl cottage cheese, eggs and red pepper until smooth. Pour into crust and sprinkle with paprika.

Bake, uncovered in a 350′ oven for 25 to 30 minutes (about 40 minutes for 10″). Check for doneness with a knife – if i comes out clean – that means its done!

Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

 

Notes