Salmon Quiche (with homemade crust recipe)
Quiche is a fancy tart with a buttery crust and a rich, creamy filling. This variation is easy to make and flavorful, and an excellent dish for brunch, a light lunch, potlucks and picnics. Top it with asparagus or leave it plain, it can be frozen for a month.
Servings 6 -8 servings
Ingredients
For the tart crust:
- 1 egg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup cold butter diced
- 3 tablespoons about cold water
For the filling:
- 1 cup diced fresh salmon bite-sized pieces
- 2 eggs at room temperature
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- ⅓ cup grated cheddar cheese fontina, swiss cheese, goat cheese or brie pieces
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ⅓ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup asparagus stalks or broccoli florets cut into pieces
Instructions
For the tart crust:
- Place the flour, salt and baking powder in the jar of the food processor or large bowl if making it by hand. Combine all dry ingredients.
- Scatter cubes of cold butter and process or use your hands or pastry cutter to integrate until the butter is the size of peas and beans. It will be irregular. Don't overprocess. Use short spurts and a spatula or spoon once to move the mixture so it doesn't pool at the bottom.
- Lightly mix the egg with 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl and add to the flour mixture. Process for a few seconds at a time or mix with a fork until the dough barely comes together. Don't mix or knead until you have a smooth ball at this point.
- Transfer the buttery shaggy dough into a large mixing bowl or a lightly floured counter.
- Add more cold water, a tablespoon at a time, until you have a dough that comes together. The key is to create a smooth ball of dough, touching it as little as possible so you don't warm the butter.
- Wrap the dough disc and refrigerate for 1 hour. At this point, you can freeze it for a month or leave it in the fridge for 5 days, very well wrapped.
- Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into a round no more than ¼ inch thick. If more convenient, you can roll the dough between two large sheets of parchment.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Line an 8-inch tart pan with removable bottom with the dough, letting it down without stretching it. Remove excess dough from the sides and prick the bottom with a fork.
- Place a large piece of aluminum or parchment paper and top with baking weight, beans, rice or flour. It should fill the pan.
- Bake for 15 minutes, until you can easily and carefully remove the paper with the weight. Bake for 5 more minutes until it starts to dry.
- Let cool for 15 minutes before filling.
For the filling:
- Have the salmon pieces ready.
- In a bowl mix the eggs with the cream and sour cream. Integrate well but don't beat.
- Season with salt, pepper, paprika if using and garlic powder.
- Incorporate the cheese and integrate without beating.
- Place the salmon pieces on the pre-baked crust.
- Carefully pour the binding cream, covering the fish.
- Add the asparagus stalks (or broccoli pieces) on top.
- Bake for another 20-25 minutes, until almost firm in the center and golden brown.
- Allow the quiche to cool slightly on a wire rack before serving.
Notes
Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
Baking time: consider that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
Serving: salmon quiche is the perfect dish for lunch with a salad, for a picnic, for a buffet table and, if you make them bite-size, a great appetizer to eat while you mingle holding a cocktail in your other hand. So this is one of my favorite foods for New Year's Eve casual parties with friends because it is amazing at room temperature as finger food!
Storing: it stays at room temperature for 2-3 days, in the refrigerator for a week, and frozen for a month. Always well covered in plastic wrap or an airtight container to avoid dryness.
To freeze: wrap the whole baked quiche or leftover pieces in plastic wrap first and then aluminum, or use a freezer-safe container. It keeps for a month. Thaw at room temperature, unwrapped and warm in a medium oven before eating.
