shiitake shallot thyme quiche

 Shiitake Shallot Thyme 🍃  Quiche is one of my favorite home baked quiches.  Occasionally I like a meatless meal and a savory quiche filled with shiitake mushrooms served with a green salad 🥗  is perfect.  I've been making a version of mushroom 🍄 quiche, mushroom risotto or mushroom omelet for dinner forever.  I can't remember when my devotion to mushroom based meals started but this shiitake quiche fits in very well with my repertoire.  I'm getting a lot of mileage out of my fresh thyme.  If you are thinking about growing herbs 🌿 in your garden or in a pot I suggest thyme, a year round herb in California that's always contributing to savory deliciousness in my kitchen.  The quiche crust can be made a day ahead, then rolled out and baked off when you're ready to make your quiche.  I like this shiitake shallot thyme quiche for a picnic, I see a blanket and a picnic hamper out by the sea 🌊 .   If you can wait, it's very good served hours after it's baked, so pack a picnic 🧺  staring quiche and of course other goodies for your besties 👯‍♀️ 

Ingredients and Recipe for Shiitake Shallot Thyme Quiche

Serves 6

for the crust

1 & 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 cup or 1 stick chilled unsalted butter, cut into bits

1 large egg

1 tablespoon ice cold water

1 large egg white, beaten

for the filling

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large shallot, chopped

12 ounces shiitake mushrooms, cleaned, stems removed and sliced

2 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced

3/4 cup heavy cream

2 large eggs

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Pinch of white pepper

4 skinny scallions, white and pale green parts, sliced

1/3 cup grated Gruyère cheese

Make the Crust for the Quiche

Mix together flour, salt and sugar in a food processor.  Add the butter bits, using the pulse process, until a sort of meal forms, about a dozen few second pulses.  Whisk the egg with the cold water in a small bowl, add to the flour mixture, pulsing until moist clumps of dough form.  Remove from the food processor, place on a board and gently knead until dough comes together into a ball.  Flatten the dough into a flat round shape, wrap up and chill for at least one hour.

Roll the dough out on a lightly floured board to about a 12 inch round, should fit comfortably in a 9 inch fluted tart or quiche pan.  Place the dough in the pan, pressing into the bottom, trimming the edges and pressing the edges down around the edges of pan.  Chill for one hour.

Preheat the oven to 400F

Place a sheet of aluminum foil inside the quiche dough and fill with pie weights.

Bake 20 minutes, remove from the oven and using a fork prick the bottom of the crust all over.  Bake for 10 more minutes or until slightly golden, brush crust with egg white and cool on a metal rack.

Make the Filling for the Quiche

Melt the butter in a large skillet over a medium heat.

Add the shallots, sauté until soft, about 3-4 minutes.

Add the shiitakes, season with salt and pepper.

Continue cooking and stirring the shiitakes until they are tender and slightly browned, about 10 minutes.

Sprinkle with the thyme and cook for one additional minute.  Cool shiitakes.

Preheat the oven to 350F

Place the cooled crust on a baking pan, drain the shiitakes and evenly distribute them on the quiche crust.

Whisk together the heavy cream, eggs, salt and pepper.  Pour the egg mixture over the shiitakes.

Sprinkle with the scallions and the cheese.

Bake the quiche until the custard is set and slightly golden brown in spots, about 35 minutes.

Cool for about 15 minutes before serving, serve warm or at room temperature.