I had the pleasure of catering for elementary school teachers and staff just before Christmas. As a former teacher, I enjoyed preparing a French country–style buffet that included a salad bar with balsamic grilled chicken, asparagus, green beans, roasted beets, walnuts and a homemade dressing—along with these individual puff pastry quiches. They were a hit.
These mini quiches are versatile and can be filled to suit your tastes. For that luncheon I made most with chopped ham and freshly grated Parmesan. A few teachers asked for vegetarian versions, so I made some with sautéed spinach and Parmesan. For this post I chose a favorite flavor combination—spinach and artichoke—based on a recipe adapted from Rachael Ray.
One important tip: don’t overfill the pastry cups with the egg mixture. If you fill them to the top they can puff and spill like a soufflé, leaving a mess on the oven floor. Keep the egg filling below the rim so they bake cleanly and evenly.
This recipe makes nine individual quiches. Thaw one sheet of frozen puff pastry (Pepperidge Farm works well) on the counter for about 30 minutes. Gently unfold the sheet onto a floured work surface, dust the top with a little flour, and roll gently to form an approximately 12 × 12 inch square. Use a pizza cutter to slice the dough into nine equal squares.
Lightly grease a muffin tin and place each pastry square into a well, pressing the bottom flat while leaving the corners hanging over the edges. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the spinach-and-artichoke filling into each crust, then sprinkle a little goat cheese and Parmesan on top if desired. Mix the eggs, egg yolks, cream and salt together, then pour about 2–3 tablespoons of the egg mixture into each pastry cup—keeping the filling below the top edge.
Fold the four corners gently over the filling to create a neat edge. Bake the pans on the center oven rack and rotate once halfway through baking so they brown evenly. The quiches will come out puffed and golden, ready to serve warm.
Individual Puff Pastry Quiches
Ingredients
- 1 sheet Pepperidge Farm puff pastry thawed
- 1 T. olive oil
- 6 oz. frozen spinach
- 7.5 oz. canned artichokes (packed in water) drained
- 2 t. soy sauce
- 3 T. goat cheese
- 3 T. Parmesan cheese
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1/2 c. heavy cream
- 3/4 t. salt
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Grease a muffin tin and set it aside.
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Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil and then the frozen spinach. Sauté until the spinach is thawed and cooked through. Add the drained, chopped artichoke hearts and soy sauce, sauté for another two minutes, then remove from heat.
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On a floured surface, lay the thawed puff pastry flat and dust the top with a little flour. Gently roll into an approximate 12 × 12 inch square, then cut into nine equal squares.
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Press each pastry square into a muffin well, flattening the bottom while leaving the corners to hang over the edges.
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Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the spinach-and-artichoke mixture into each crust. Top each with roughly a teaspoon of goat cheese and a teaspoon of Parmesan.
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In a clean bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, heavy cream and salt. Pour about 2–3 tablespoons of this egg mixture into each pastry cup, keeping the filling below the rim.
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Gently fold the four pastry corners toward the center. Bake on the center rack for about 20 minutes, rotating the pan once during baking, until the tops are puffed and golden brown.