Miraculous Spinach Quiche

This lower-fat, healthier spinach quiche doesn’t require rolling and fitting a crust; it “miraculously” forms its own whole-grain crust as it bakes.

Crust
1 cup King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour, organic or regular
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 tablespoons Baker’s Special Dry Milk or nonfat dry milk
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) butter

Filling
1 medium onion, peeled and diced (5 ounces, 1 cup)
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) butter or vegetable oil (7/8 ounce)
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups (15-ounce container) ricotta cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (6 ounces) egg substitute, or 3 large eggs, beaten
1 (10-ounce) box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and thoroughly wrung dry*
1 cup (4 ounces) grated low-fat cheese; jalapeño or plain cheddar, Jarlsberg, or the low-fat cheese of your choice.

*If desired, use fresh spinach; you’ll need about 1 cup (5 3/4 ounces) cooked, drained, chopped spinach.

Topping
1 cup (8 ounces) low-fat yogurt cheese*, or low-fat sour cream

*Yogurt cheese is yogurt that’s been drained till it’s very thick.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Use non-stick vegetable oil spray to heavily grease a 9” deep-dish pie pan (a 9” pie pan that’s at least 1 1/2” deep), or a 9” springform pan.

For the crust: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and dry milk. Mix in the butter with a fork, a pastry blender, a mixer, or your fingers, till crumbly. Set it aside momentarily; you'll be adding the filling ingredients shortly.

For the filling: Sauté the onion in the butter until it’s soft and becoming golden brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in the thyme and nutmeg. Remove it from the heat, and add it to the crust mixture in the large bowl along with the ricotta, salt, egg substitute or eggs, spinach, and grated cheese. Mix everything together thoroughly, and spoon it into the prepared pan. Spread with the yogurt cheese or sour cream. This is best done by dolloping the sour cream atop the filling, then using a spatula, or the back of a spoon, to smooth down and connect the dollops. Sprinkle with paprika, if desired.

Bake the quiche in a preheated 375°F oven for 50 to 55 minutes, or until it appears set almost all the way into the center, and has begun to brown slightly. It may crack, also; that’s OK. Remove it from the oven, and cool it on a rack for at least 20 minutes, preferably 30, before serving. Refrigerate any leftovers. Yield: 8 to 12 servings.

©2007 The King Arthur Flour Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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