This Spiral Vegetable or Ratatouille quiche or tart is a show stopper. It does take a little time to make but is well worth it. For this recipe, you will need a 9 to 10-inch deep-dish pie crust. You can either make it yourself or use a store-bought frozen crust. Find my recipe for flaky pie crust here.
If you intend to make the crust yourself, you will need to make the dough at least 30 minutes before you plan to use it. It can be made up to 2 days early but will require extra time to warm up before rolling out.
Spiral Vegetable Quiche
This stunning quiche is not only beautiful but also delicious. It will impress any guest for brunch, lunch, or dinner.
Equipment
- mandolin
- mixing bowl(s) and/or large spouted measuring cup
- baking sheets and wire rack
- whisk
- 9 – 10 inch deep dish pie plate
- pastry cutter or food processor
Ingredients
- 1 medium eggplant
- 1 small zucchini
- 1 small yellow squash
- 1 large tomato (orange or red)
- 1 large carrot
- 1 large red onion
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 4 large eggs
- 1/4 cup whole milk or heavy cream
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 9 – 10 inch deep-dish pie crust
Instructions
Prepare the Vegetables
- Preheat the oven to 425.
- Cut the eggplant in half.
- Using a mandolin or very sharp knife, cut the eggplant, zucchini, squash, and carrot into strips about 1/8 inch thick.
- Salt the eggplant, zucchini, and squash slices on both sides and place between layers of paper towel on a rack with a baking sheet on top and bottom. Weigh the top with something like a cast-iron skillet to press out some of the water.
- Cut the tomato in half from the stem to the bottom and slice each half about 1/4 inch thick.
- Slice the onions and sauté them slowly, stirring often until tender and caramelized over medium heat in a minimal amount of olive or vegetable oil with salt and pepper.
- Remove the onions from the pan and allow them to cool.
Bake the Crust
- Place a piece of parchment paper in the chilled crust and fill with pie weights, uncooked rice, or dry beans to weigh down.
- Bake for 15 minutes at 425.
- Remove the weights and brush the crust all over with beaten egg yolks. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes until golden brown.
- Remove and allow to cool slightly before filling and baking the quiche.
Fill and Bake the Quiche
- Lower the oven temperature to 400 degrees.
- Spread the cooled onions in an even layer in the bottom of your pre-baked pie crust.
- Whisk together the eggs, milk or cream, garlic, and Parmesan cheese with salt and pepper.
- Pour the egg mixture into the crust over the onions.
- Remove the vegetables from the paper towels.
- Arrange the sliced vegetables in concentric circles inside the crust. Alternate each vegetable as you like.
- After adding each ring of vegetables, press everything out to the sides of the crust. Pack them in as tightly as you can.
- Cover the edges of the crust with tin foil to keep it from burning. Bake the quiche at 400 degrees for 25-35 minutes or until the egg has set. If your oven has a fan setting, turn it on to speed up the baking.
- Remove the quiche from the oven and allow it to cool for about 15 minutes before cutting and serving.
Notes
If you are making the pie crust from scratch, this can be done well ahead of time and either stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or frozen for up to a month. It can be kept wrapped in plastic wrap or in a pie plate.
