Souttert (or “savory tart”), similar to the french quiche, is one of the most versatile recipes in my arsenal. It is quick and easy and can be customized with anything you have on hand. Paired with salad, it is one of my family’s favorite weeknight dinners, but paired with a fruit parfait or even just a cappuccino, it makes for a delicious breakfast or brunch menu addition. I recently made it as a meal provision for a friend who had just had her first baby, and she later mentioned what a perfect dish it was to have during those first newborn-fog days when you’re awake at all sorts of strange hours of the day and night, and hunger hits at the least convenient times.
This recipe features bacon, mushrooms and artichokes as the stars of the show, however, you can substitute any of the “flavor-ingredients” and make it completely your own – just stick to the base of flour, salt, baking powder, milk, butter, eggs and spinach. Anything beyond that can be left out completely or replaced with something else. A few suggestions for ingredients I’ve enjoyed in this recipe are:
- Ham
- Sundried Tomatoes
- Asparagus
- Pancetta
- Cheddar Jack, Parmesan, or Provolone Cheese
- Bell Peppers
- Onions
- Chives
- Broccoli
Besides the filling, the crust is also a bit of a superstar in this dish. It’s different than pie crust and doesn’t need to be blind baked (unless you prefer this method, for which I’ve provided instructions). If you’re in a hurry, however, you can use store-bought pie crust as well – I’ve certainly done that in a pinch. However, if the chill-time is your only issue, I highly recommend still using this crust, but skipping the fridge, preparing and placing it in your pie dish and popping it all in the freezer for about 15-20 minutes before adding the filling.
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do – I can’t wait to see what flavor combinations you come up with!
Bacon, Mushroom & Artichoke Quiche (“Souttert”)
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 ½ cups All-purpose Flour
- ½ tsp Salt
- 10 tbsp Unsalted Butter (cut into small cubes))
- 1 egg
- 2 ½ tbsp ice water
Filling
- 1 cup All-purpose Flour
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- ¾ cup Whole Milk
- ½ cup Butter (melted)
- 5 Eggs (beaten)
- 4 slices Bacon
- 2 oz (about 3 or 4) Baby Bella Mushrooms (thinly sliced)
- 5 oz Fresh Spinach
- ½ cup Artichoke Hearts (from a jar or canned) (roughly chopped)
- ½ cup Feta Cheese (crumbled)
- 1 cup Gruyere or Swiss Cheese (grated)
- ¼ tsp Onion Powder
- ¼ tsp Paprika
Instructions
For the Crust
- Add the flour and salt to a food processor & pulse once or twice to mix. Add the cubed butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse sand.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the egg and ice water, then add the egg mixture to the flour and pulse again until a dough forms.
- Make the dough into a ball and wrap in plastic, placing it in the fridge to let cool for 2 hours. (See my note about skipping this step if you're short on time)
- Remove the dough from the fridge and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Roll it out until it fits your quiche pan or pie dish and then lay it over the pan/dish.
- Gently press the crust into the pan with your fingers and, using a pairing knife, trim off any extra dough that hangs over the rim. If you're using a pie dish, fold the overhanging crust under and pinch the edges.
For the Filling
- In a skillet, over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until the fat releases and it is cooked, but not crispy (about 10 minutes). Remove from skillet, retaining the grease, and set aside to cool. (Once it is cooled, use kitchen shears to cut into half-inch pieces.)
- Add the sliced mushrooms to the skillet and sauté in the bacon grease until tender. Remove from skillet and set aside.
- In the same pan, add a little oil or spray lightly with cooking spray and add the spinach leaves. Cook until tender and slightly wilted. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, onion powder and paprika.
- In a separate bowl, beat together the milk, butter and eggs.
- Slowly add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and mix until well combined. The batter will be very thin.
- Add the bacon pieces, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, feta, gruyere and spinach to the batter and mix with a wooden spoon to combine.
- Pour the filling into the crust and bake at 350℉ for 45-55 minutes, or until the quiche is cooked through. If the crust starts browning too much, cover it with a pie crust shield or make your own with foil.
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