Tuscan Kale & Sun-dried Tomato Quiche with Basil Honey Whipped Ricotta

Have I told you that quiche is one of the first foods I ever made?

Well, it was, and I’ve shared a fondness for it ever since.  Quiche is a fairly simple, no-fuss-no-muss kinda dish, but the presentation always looks gorgeous, and the results never disappoint, and you can literally throw in anything, so I’ve always been a big fan.  And it just has that comforting vibe, doesn’t it?  Like you can tuck into it with a big ‘ole cup of tea (or a big ‘ole bottle of wine) and just eat and smile and feel supremely posh, even if you’re eating it in your bathrobe while binge watching Orange Is The New Black because Saturday night plans are for people who like people.

Or something.

Whatever – quiche rules.

I really have been loving OITNB, and after just finishing up season 1, I legit cannot wait to dive into season 2.  Do you guys watch it?  Do you love it?  Is Netflix the best/worst thing to ever happen to your life?!  Because seriously, I never knew just how deeply I could get sucked into a television vortex until I got Netflix.  Sure, I was always a Law & Order: SVU freak, but who isn’t?  I’m practically a detective at this point, and I know I’m not the only nutcase who has planned entire Sundays around a special “Daddy Issues”-themed SVU marathon (always around Father’s Day, which is classy).  But Netflix?  A whoole other level of TV obsession.

To date I’ve binge watched Breaking Bad (and I’ve vowed to do it again, because #goals), House of Cards, Sons of Anarchy (Jax Teller = my other husband), and now OITNB, which is quickly becoming a major priority in my life.  I should probably get new priorities, sure, but being motivated is hard and turning on your TV is easy, so there’s that.  I’ve at least managed to make you this somewhere in between my bingeing, so be thankful for that, would ya?

So, this quiche.  I wanted to make something simple and flavorful while taking a break from everything Fall, so an Italian-inspired spin on the basic quiche thang seemed like a good idea.  My sun-dried tomato lurve has been well documented here, here, and here, so it’s no surprise I decided to throw it in this baby too.  And the kale?  Ohhh the kale.  Would you believe that I convinced Dave it was spinach?  And that he went back for not one, not two, but three servings!!  And I didn’t even put meat in here!  It was a true miracle, and all I had to do was lie straight to his face.

Clearly I’ve got this marriage thing covered.

While a pure kale and sun-dried tomato quiche certainly has potential, it also sounds a bit boring, no?  So I decided to whip up some basil honey ricotta, which was most definitely an epic decision.  I’ve always been a big fan of sweet-infused cheeses – gorgonzola dolce, anyone?! – but this ricotta version was true bliss.  Fluffy and light and sweet and ricotta-y, it was totally yums and a totally awesome last-minute addition.  Once cooked with the eggs the basil honey flavor is mild, not nearly as strong as when you eat the ricotta by the tablespoon (which of course is highly recommended).  But it did lend the perfect little something to balance out all the savory elements, plus ricotta makes the eggs SO fluffy.  Like, pillowy fluffy, it’s amazing.

To combat that kale bitterness I prepped it like I always do, lightly sauteed with EVOO, onions, lemon juice, and garlic.  From there you pretty much mix all your ingredients together, toss ’em in a pie crust, then go watch an episode of OITNB – Your lovely quiche will be ready when you’re finished.  And the cheese on top?  Totally optional, but if you know me you know a little extra chee is always on my agenda, so use your best judgment.  And for the crust?  I used trusty Pillsbury, but to cut down on fat and cals simply make this crustless – It’s going to taste amazeballs either way.

Tuscan Kale & Sun-dried Tomato Quiche with Basil Honey Whipped Ricotta

Ingredients:

  • 1 Pillsbury Refrigerated Pie Crust
  • 2 tsps Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 3/4 cup Diced Yellow Onion
  • 3 oz Chopped & Cleaned Kale (buy it bagged, it’s easier!)
  • 2 tbsps Lemon Juice
  • 1 tbsp Minced Garlic
  • 1 cup Sliced Sun-dried Tomatoes
  • 3/4 cup Part-Skim Ricotta Cheese
  • 1 1/2 tbsps Honey
  • 2 tsps Basil
  • 5 Large Eggs
  • 1/2 cup Skim Milk
  • 1/2 cup Shredded Cheese (Cheddar, Mozzarella, Fontina – your pick!)
  • 1/2 tsp Sea Salt & Coarse Black Peppercorn – approx.
  • Crisco to grease

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400F.
  2. In large skillet saute onions in EVOO over medium flame for 2-3 minutes until just becoming translucent, then add in kale, lemon juice, minced garlic and a few dashes salt & pepper, combining well.  Stir occasionally until kale is tender (approx. 3-4 minutes) then remove from heat until needed.
  3. In small bowl whisk together ricotta, honey, and basil, whisking vigorously until cheese is light and fluffy.  Set aside.
  4. In another, large bowl, combine eggs, skim milk, and a few dashes salt & pepper, whisking until well mixed.  Next whisk in ricotta, then kale mixture and sun-dried tomatoes, combining thoroughly.
  5. Lightly grease pie dish before molding with pie crust.  Fill crust with egg mixture, then bake for 40 minutes until eggs are cooked through and crust has browned.  Just before quiche is finished, top with shredded cheese then return to oven for last 5 minutes.  When ready remove from oven and allow to cool slightly, then serve.

eating leftovers right now.