Savory Chard No-Crust Quiche

This recipe is from The Organic Cook's Bible by Jeff Cox. It calls for 2 bunches of chard. I think grocery store chard that is sold in bunches are ½ pound bunches. We usually give you 1½ pounds of cooking greens so for this recipe you'll have some left over. By the way this is a great book, full of nutrition and history of each vegetable he covers.

Jeff Cox writes, "If you like, make a partially baked pastry pie shell and use this recipe as the filling for a quiche."

You will need a 9 inch round baking dish, 4-5 inches deep. [But with no pie crust you could make it in any shaped baking dish.]

Ingredients

4 tablespoons butter, plus extra for buttering the baking dish
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 cup chopped onions
2 bunches chard, leaves only
1 pound ham, sliced thin
¼ pound coarsely grated provolone (about 1 cup)
¼ pound coarsely grated mozzarella (about 1 cup)
¼ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano [or Pecorino Romano]
½ cup ricotta
1-2/3 cups whole milk
6 eggs, beaten
Salt and fresly ground black pepper

Procedure

1. Butter the baking dish, and line the bottom with a piece of parchment paper cut to fit. Butter the paper. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a 12 inch skillet, heat the canola oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat, then add the onions and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the chard leaves and turn heat to high. Cook, stirring continually, until the leaves are well wilted and any moisture is evaporated (don't let the leaves scorch). Remove from heat and reserve.

3. Slice the ham into strips about ½ inch wide and cook them in a medium skillet in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, turning them several times until they're lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Reserve.

4. In a bowl, mix together the provolone, mozzarella, and Parmigiano-Reggiano [or Pecorino Remano]. Puree the ricotta with the milk in a blender, then pour into another bowl. Whisk the eggs into the wet ingredients. Season the custard mixture to taste with salt and pepper (remember, the cheese and ham are salty, so easy on the salt, but don't skimp on the pepper!).

5. Place a third of the dry cheeses in the baking dish and drizzle a small amount of the custard on top. (You're going to make a stack of nine layers, each drizzled with custard, so use it accordingly.) Make layer with a third of the ham and drizzle that with custard. Make a layer with a third of the chard and drizzle with custard. Repeat this layering sequence 2 more times. The layers should not quite reach the top of the dish.

6. Cover the dish with aluminum foil. Place the dish in a roasting pan with enough boiling water to reach halfway up the side of the baking dish. Gently place this in the oven and bake for 1 hour, then turn the heat to 400ºF and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil so the top will brown and bake for 10 minutes more. The custard is done when it pulls away from the side of the dish and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean and dry.

7. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack until you can handle the baking dish, about 20 minutes or more. Run a knife around the edges of the dish, then place a large plate over the top of the baking dish and carefully invert. Remove the paper. Select a serving dish and place it on top of the custard, then invert once again.

Serves 8.

From The Organic Cook's Bible by Jeff Cox.

Last updated: April 2, 2007