Mini Quiche, Loraine And Florentine Recipe

Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Add cold cubed butter and, using a pastry cutter or fingertips, cut butter into flour until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces.

Sprinkle cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, over flour-butter mixture and gently mix with a fork until dough just comes together. Do not overwork. Gather into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly butter twelve 3-inch tartlet tins or a standard 9-inch tart pan if making larger quiches.

On a lightly floured surface, roll chilled dough to about 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick. Cut rounds slightly larger than tartlet tins (about 3.5 inches). Gently press dough into tins, trim edges and flute if desired. Chill assembled shells for 10 minutes while preparing fillings.

Optional blind-bake: line shells with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake 10 minutes, remove weights and parchment, then bake 4–6 minutes more until just set but not browned. Remove from oven and set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté 30 seconds until fragrant (do not brown).

Add fresh spinach in batches, stirring until wilted (about 2–3 minutes). Transfer wilted spinach to a colander and press or squeeze with the back of a spoon to remove excess moisture. Let cool slightly, then chop roughly if leaves are large.

Season spinach with 1/4 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper, and stir in 1/2 cup grated Parmesan. Taste and adjust seasoning.

If using thicker ham, dice into small 1/4-inch pieces. If refrigerated or moist, pat ham dry with paper towel so it doesn't add excess liquid to the tartlets.

Combine diced ham and 1 cup grated Gruyère (or Swiss) in a bowl and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 large eggs, 1 cup heavy cream, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper and 1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg until smooth and slightly frothy.

Place tartlet shells on a baking sheet. For each shell, choose Lorraine or Florentine filling. Divide fillings between shells — for twelve 3-inch tartlets use about 2 tablespoons of filling per shell: for Lorraine put approximately 1 tablespoon ham and 1 tablespoon grated Gruyère; for Florentine put about 2 tablespoons of the squeezed spinach-Parmesan mixture.

Carefully pour custard over the fillings, filling shells to about 3/4 full. Leave a small gap from the rim to avoid overflow.

Optional: brush pastry edges lightly with egg wash for shine.

Bake in preheated 375°F (190°C) oven for 18–22 minutes for 3-inch tartlets (or 25–30 minutes for a 9-inch quiche) until custard is set and tops are lightly golden. A knife inserted in center should come out mostly clean with a slight wobble.

Remove from oven and let cool on a rack for 10 minutes. Carefully unmold tartlets from tins. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Leftovers refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a 325°F (160°C) oven for 8–10 minutes.