Broccoli Bacon Quiche Remix
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Flaky crust loaded with sautéed smoky bacon, tender broccolini, and tangy feta cheese. Egg custard balanced with a hint of cornstarch for a firm but creamy bite. The crust pressed firmly against a 26 cm tart pan, pre-baked till pale golden. Filling sizzles, then bakes off slow and steady until set, with a slight jiggle around the edges. Broccoli substitutes with broccolini for tender stems, bacon swapped by pancetta for a richer punch. Parmesan replaces mozzarella, melting into sharp pockets. A twist of nutmeg in custard. Visual cues guide doneness over clocks. A recipe born from trial and error—you’ll catch silence when slicing, juicy, no soggy bottom.
Prep:
35 min
Cook:
Total:
Servings:
4 to 6 servings
#quiche
#pancetta
#broccolini
#feta cheese
#blind baking
#French-inspired
Starts with dough feeling right in the hand. Butter cold and flour unbleached, the base for flaky crust. Notes from burnt crust and tough bottoms haunt past tries; blind baking is sacred. Broccoli swapped to broccolini—tastes better here, less woodsy, tender stalks add texture. Pancetta offers a richer, more savory profile than bacon, but crispy bits remain. Mozzarella gives way to crumbly feta that stays punchy and distinct after baking. Nutmeg, a whisper, works magic in custard, balancing egg and cheese sharpness. Cornstarch thickens custard softly, eliminates watery slosh without rubbery trap. Timing changes learned from watching wobble, color shifts—no timer can substitute. Cooking’s a dance of senses and texture cues, not clocks. Let sit, slice clean. I’ve learned the hard way—impatience ruins it.
Ingredients
Crust
- 270 ml unbleached all-purpose flour (slightly reduced)
- 110 ml cold unsalted butter cut in cubes
- 70 ml ice-cold water (adjust as needed)
Filling
- 50 ml olive oil (extra mild, fruity preferred)
- 3 slices pancetta chopped fine (replacing bacon)
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 900 ml broccolini florets and tender stems (instead of broccoli)
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 10 ml cornstarch (cornflour), about 2 tsp (increased slightly)
- 290 ml whole milk
- 4 large eggs
- 200 ml crumbled feta cheese (mozzarella swapped for sharp tang)
- A pinch of ground nutmeg (new twist)
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
About the ingredients
Flour quantity trimmed by about 15% to keep crust tender, butter reduced proportionally—less load but same flaky effect. Water variable, add cautiously; dough that’s too wet or sticky means rolling mess and tough crust. I swapped bacon for pancetta for deeper flavor and easier crisp. Broccolini replaces broccoli for tenderness and subtle sweet stalk texture. Mozzarella swapped with feta, tangy crumb that resists melting into one blob, adding bite. A pinch of nutmeg sneaks in warmth, elevates custard complexity. Cornstarch increased slightly to combat wet vegetables—too watery filling ruins crust integrity. Salt lightly, cheese brings saltiness; season adjust progressively. Practice tossing veggies in skillet to reduce moisture before custard pot. Always chill dough twice for crisp edges, prevents shrinkage during blind baking.
Method
Crust
- 1. Pulse flour and chilled butter in food processor, flaky pea size bits the goal. Butter warmth ruins flakiness; cold is key. Add water spoon by spoon till loose dough just forms, don’t overwork. Takes less water than you think. Pat into disc, wrap, chill 45 minutes minimum. Freeze works too but let relax to ease rolling.
- 2. Lightly flour surface, roll dough into 30 cm circle. Should crack at edges if too cold; warm slightly then resume. Transfer to 26 cm tart pan, gently press without stretching—stretching causes shrinkage and tough edges. Fold excess dough inward, pinch into thick rim. Chill crust 20 minutes more.
- 3. Preheat oven to 205°C (400°F), set rack low. Line crust with parchment, fill with dried beans or pie weights, bake blind 18 to 22 minutes. Edges turn faint gold and firm, bottom dry but not dark. Remove weights carefully, return to oven 5 more until bottom sets but not browned. Avoid soggy bottom, don’t skip blind bake.
- 4. Reduce oven to 175°C (350°F).
Filling
- 5. Heat oil in wide skillet over medium heat. Add pancetta, sizzle, render fat slowly until crisp but tender—leaving chewy bits. Add onion, stir until translucent, edges caramelize lightly. Smash in garlic, stir 1 minute until fragrant but no burn. Add broccolini, toss, cook 3-4 minutes until bright green and just tender. Watch moisture; too wet = soggy quiche. If too wet, drain, or increase cornstarch by 1 tsp.
- 6. Season with salt, pepper; cool slightly.
- 7. In bowl, whisk eggs, milk, cornstarch, nutmeg, until smooth emulsified. Cornstarch sets custard gently, avoids rubbery edges. Fold in feta cheese. Pour mixture evenly over veggie and pancetta bed in baked crust. Should almost reach edge but not overflow.
- 8. Bake at 175°C for 33 to 38 minutes. Center will look softly set with slight wobble. Edges puff and brown gently. Avoid jiggly liquid or cracked dry top.
- 9. Remove from oven. Let stand at least 10 minutes before slicing—time allows custard to finish setting. Crisp crust edges and custard texture make slicing clean, no weeping juice.
- 10. Serve warm or room temp. Leftovers reheat in oven wrapped with foil for crisp crust revival.
Cooking tips
Start with chilled dough, rushed crusts crack and shrink. Pulse butter-flour pulse then water till barely holds. Rest dough twice—first after mixing, then after fit in pan to tighten gluten. Blind bake until crust edges turn golden and bottom looks dry yet pale; too dark means dryness later. Pan size adjusted to 26 cm wider tart lets custard bake evenly. Pancetta sizzles, fat renders slowly, vital for texture. Broccolini sauté quick, bright color no mush. Avoid overcrowd or crowded pan releases steam—steamed veggies kill crust crispness. Cornstarch in custard thickens gently—no gritty or globby lumps allowed. Nutmeg added to egg milk mix, for depth. Bake at 175°C till custard mostly set, no wobbly liquid center; edges puff and color. Rest time crucial—custard firms up, slices better. Cold leftovers reheat wrapped to revive crisp crust. Remember: look for faint jiggle, not runny or firm too fast.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Keep butter ice cold. Pulse flour and butter fast, don’t let warmth creep in or crust turns tough. Water slow drip, just enough to hold, not sticky. Chill twice: post mix and after stretching dough—shrinking crust problem solved here.
- 💡 Blind bake crust thoroughly. Use pie weights or dried beans to avoid soggy bottom. Remove weights mid-bake, finish crisping bottom slowly. Too dark bottom? Means dryness later; too pale means soggy bits hide inside.
- 💡 Pancetta cooks low and slow to get crisp but chewy bits. Don’t rush with high heat or it toughens, burns quicker. Render fat gently; it’s flavor anchor. Toss onion in rendered fat, watch edges caramelize lightly, adds depth not burnt bitterness.
- 💡 Broccolini better than broccoli here, tender stems less woodsy bite. Cook short time, bright green, slight crunch. Too much moisture ruins crust crisp, drain well or bump cornstarch to soak water released.
- 💡 Mix eggs, milk, cornstarch, nutmeg well. Cornstarch thickens custard softly, no rubbers. Nutmeg adds warmth without overt spice. Fold feta gently to keep chunks distinct, don’t overmix to avoid melting into one blob.
Common questions
Can I swap pancetta for bacon?
Yes but watch crisp time; bacon gets crisp faster, rind removal helps. Pancetta gives milder fat render, bacon’s smokier and can toughen if rushed. Adjust cook time carefully.
What if crust shrinks?
Usually warm dough or over-stretched, chill dough solidly twice, rest after pressing in pan tightens gluten. Prick bottom lightly with fork to relieve steam pressure during blind bake.
How to prevent soggy bottom?
Blind bake crust till edges golden, bottom dry but not dark. Use parchment, pie weights. Avoid wet filling; drain broccolini well, increase cornstarch if veggie juices too much.
How store leftovers?
Refrigerate wrapped tight, reheat in oven at 180°C covered with foil to revive crisp edges, about 10 minutes. Avoid microwave if texture important.
