Mini Quiche Florentine Recipe

Ingredients

4 eggs
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 1/2 cups grated Swiss cheese
2/3 cup bacon, cooked and finely chopped
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
2 pie crusts, store-bought or homemade (recipe below)

Yield: makes 30 bite-sized appetizers

Mini Quiche Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Place eggs and cream in a large mixing bowl and whisk until well combined.
3. Add spinach, cheeses, bacon, salt and thyme; mix well.
4. Roll out pie crust to about 1/4-inch thickness on a flat surface lightly dusted with flour.
5. With a circular cookie cutter (3" works best), cut out circles from the pie crust dough (Image 1). To keep your cookie cutter from sticking to the pie crust dough, dip it occasionally in flour.
6. Cut a wedge from each circle to make it easier to insert in mini muffin pan (Image 2).
7. Press each pie crust circle into the mini muffin pan and overlap the edges of the wedge you cut out. Press to seal.
8. Use a fork to flute the edges at the top.
9. Fill each mini pie with the quiche filling to just below the top of the pie crust (Image 3).
10. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
11. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.
12. Garnish with a shaving of Parmesan and fresh thyme leaves (Image 4).

Homemade Pie Crust

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus a little extra for rolling
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
6-8 tablespoons ice-cold water

Instructions

1. Cut the butter into 1/2-inch cubes by slicing the stick of butter down the center lengthwise and again on the other side to create four long strips. Then cut the four sticks into cubes. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes.
2. Place dry ingredients in a food processor and give it a few pulses to be sure it is well mixed.
3. Place butter cubes in the food processor and give it 8-10 pulses until you have small pea-sized pieces of butter coated in flour.
4. Add the ice-cold water one tablespoon at a time and give the dough a pulse after each addition. The dough is done when it looks crumbly but holds together when you pinch it.
5. This recipe makes two crusts. Divide it in half and knead each portion just enough to shape it into a disc. Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator for at least one hour or up to 2 days. It could be placed in the freezer and used up to 2 months later.