This quiche is heavanly.  Flaky, buttery crust and creamy custard filling.  I have provided the custard recipe for leeks and chevre here, but you can still use the same custard recipe and switch out the leeks and goat cheese with other classic fillings like broccoli, bacon and cheddar.  The recipe looks really long because it provides detailed instructions on how to handle the pastry to create the most flaky shell possible.  Follow it to a T and you can’t go wrong!

Chef’s tip: Make sure that when you handle the dough, everything is chilled cold — from the bowl to the ingredients.  And remember, the less you work the dough, the flakier it will be.  Refrain from kneading, or overpulsing the dough.  The flakes of butter that you see in the dough melts creating air space between the pastry, hence the flakiness.

Other tips:  To press the dough to the side of a pan, take a piece of remnant dough, wrap it with some clear wrap and use it instead of your fingers.  In addition, to easily grab the parchment at the end, when cutting out the round parchment, leave a little tab so that you can grab it from the side.

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
82 ml cold water
250 grams pastry flour, chilled
165 grams unsalted butter, chilled

10-inch, 2 inch height quiche pan with removable bottom

To make the pastry dough:
1. Dissolve salt in water, and pop it back into the freezer to keep cold.
2. In a food processor, add the chilled flour, cut the butter into large dice and place on top of the flour.
3. Pulse several times until breadcrumbs form.  You should still have some butter pieces the size of peas.
4. Add the salt water mixture, pulse once or twice until the dough JUST begins to come together and forms a ball but not completely smooth.  Again, do not overwork the dough.
5. Line a clean surface with plastic wrap.  Pour the pastry dough onto the plastic wrap.  Gently push together and form a disc about 1 inch thick.  The dough should have a marbled look to it, with streaks of yellow butter.  Place in the refrigerator and chill overnight.
Baking the pastry shell:
6. Remove dough from fridge.  Lightly dust a pastry cloth with flour and a rolling pin cover.  Place the dough on the pastry cloth and roll it out till the dough is about 1/4 inch thick.  Remember to lift and rotate 90 degrees per several rolls to ensure the dough does not stick and the gluten is not overworked in any one directions.  Never stretch the dough.
7. Butter a 10-inch quiche pan with a removable bottom.  Line the bottom with a round piece of parchment.
8. Gently transfer the dough to line the pan, folding the dough over on your rolling pin, and transferring the dough over the pan.  Gently press dough to meet all the sides of the pan.  Do not stretch the dough under any circumstances.  Using a sharp knife, trim off any overhang.
9. Pop the dough back in the refrigerator for an hour, to rest, as well as to chill the dough.
10. Preheat oven 375F.  Line the dough with some parchment paper, pour in some pie weights and bake 25 minutes.  Remove parchment and weights and bake another 5 minutes or until golden brown.  Let cool before filling.

2 leeks, sliced thinly
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 eggs
1 cup heavy cream
1 Tablespoon flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
3 oz goat cheese, crumbled into large pieces
3/4 cup gruyere, grated

To make the leeks:
1. Saute leeks with butter and salt until soft and the moisture has dried off.  Coll.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together egg and cream.
3. In a large bowls, whisk flour with salt, pepper and nutmeg.  Add a little bit of egg mixture and whisk to combine.  Slowly add remaining mixture.  Add in chopped thyme.
To assemble the quiche:
4. In a cool, baked shell, scatter the leeks and goat cheese.  Pour in the custard till it comes to about 1/2 inch from the rim.  Reserve remaining custard.
5. Top with gruyere, reserving a tablespoon.
6. Transfer to a 360F oven.  Make a small hole in the middle, pour in the remaining custard till it comes to the top of the rim.  Cover with reserved gruyere.  Bake 40 minutes or until the quiche is no longer jelly in the middle when you shake it.
7. Remove from oven and let it set in the pan for 10 minutes.
8. Place the quiche pan on an inverted bowl, and gently remove the ring.  Using the bottom as support, transfer to a flat plate.  Look for the tab on the parchment and slide a flat edge offset spatula between the parchment and base of the quiche, then pull out the pan bottom with parchment.

Serves: 8 (10 inch pie)

Tags: brunch, Californian, Vegetarian.

You see nasturtium everywhere in San Francisco.  Its bright multi-hue orange flowers are wonderful on salad – besides giving a burst of colors, its peppery, watercress-like flavor lends a refreshing flavor explosion.  I picked so many flowers, I decided to make a pesto out of it.  The goat cheese complements the spiciness of the flowers.  And the bright orange pesto makes a stunning presentation.

Chef’s tip: Save the leaves for salads. Its peppery watercress-like flavor adds a zing to any salad.

Ingredients:

1 baguette, sliced 3/8-inch at a diagonal
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic

6 cups nasturtium flowers, stems removed
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 carrot, finely grated to make 2 cups
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup pine nuts
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Some freshly cracked black pepper

4 oz goat cheese, at room temperature
Some nasturtium flowers for garnish
Pine nuts for garnish
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
To make the crostini:
1.  Slice baguette into 3/8 inch thick pieces. Place bread slices on a sheet pan, brush one side with olive oil.
2.  Bake in a 375F oven for 7-10 minutes until golden brown. Immediately rub with a piece of garlic.
To make the pesto:
3.  Place flowers, olive oil, grated carrots and garlic in the bowl of a food processor.  Puree until a smooth paste.  Add pine nuts, and salt and pepper.
Assemble:
4. Spread some goat cheese on the crostini, top with a tablespoon of pesto.
5. Garnish with some nasturtium and pine nuts.  Drizzle on some extra olive oil.

Serves: 6

Tags: Californian, crostini, edible flowers, Vegetarian.