As one of the more popular appetizers at the party I catered, I thought it might be good to share these. That, and my little sister had been bugging me to make them again ever since she discovered the leftover frozen puff pastry. The little piggy.
But she had good reason, these are dang delicious. And utterly addictive.
You can use just about any green thing under the sun, be it basil, parsley, spinach, whatever.
Might I also recommend the addition of some pre-cooked bacon? Oh, you thought that too?
I like the way you think.
Be sure to stab the patooties out of the puff pastry. And even if they do puff up after you prebake, just fork em down again. No biggie.
Normally, when it comes to bread-y, egg-y, and cheesy things, I have major texture issues. But I found these to be a lovely balance, with just enough crunch and solidity to make me grab another, and another...
Any good-quality, soft melting cheese can be used with these. I used a combination of Asiago and Farmer's, it was delish. Don't skip the Parmesan/Pecorino either, it does wonders for the flavor contrast.
They're best slightly warm, but can certainly be consumed at room temp. Cold? Maybe not so much.
Make your morning warm, bright, and quiche-y.
Mini Quiche Appetizers
Yield: about 30 quiches
Ingredients:
- 1 package (about two 9x9" squares) frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh herbs (basil, parsley, rosemary, etc.)
- 1 cup soft-melting cheese, diced (such as Asiago, Fontina, or Farmer's)
- 3/4 cup Parmesan or Pecorino cheese, grated
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/2 tsp. salt (or to taste)
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F, lightly grease muffin pans.
Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface into about an 11x11" square, or until adequately thin. Cut into circles to fit into the bottom and sides of your muffin tin (I used a 3-inch biscuit cutter. It may be necessary to stretch out the circle a bit, so it goes up the sides better. Keep in mind, the center tends to puff up, pulling down the sides.) Poke the bottom and sides well with a fork. Bake 5 minutes, then let cool slightly.
Distribute the herbs, diced, and grated cheese between each of the quiche bottoms. Beat together the eggs, cream, milk, salt, and pepper until frothy. Pour the egg mixture filling to just over half full.
Bake until the egg mixture is set and lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Cool to room temperature before serving.
Sources: adapted from Italian Food Forever
