Crust, Crusty, Crustless…….
I find the words Crust, Crusty, and Crustless to be enveloping in so many ways, especially in the culinary genre. A crust and its quality is of the utmost importance in pie, bread and pizza, among other food items, such as gratins, fonds and seared meats, for example.
Crusty, on one hand, can apply to people, their personality, their mood, their outlook – visions of the cranky and cantankerous abound. The snow can become crusty and glistening in the moonlight and on the other hand, so ugly over time when it combines with all of the pseudo-poisonous and inert materials sprayed onto the roads in icy and snowy weather. Crusty, as in bread, is a beautiful thing and studied and worked upon ceaselessly in and around ovens, the world over.
Crustless can also be “of the opposites” as well. Crustless bread, on one hand, is a soulless thing – completely void of any interest, contrast of textures and girth. It is like the emperor without his clothes, so to speak. The goal of yielding a great crust on bread is paramount (as in the classic Panettone, if you are so inclined this week).
If you are in the world of the gluten-free, the breakfast of interest arena and the breakfast for dinner circuit, crustless can, however, be a bonafide bounty. The other day I decided to make a quiche for lunch. Luckily, I had one of those pre-made pie crusts on hand and so, the task was as easy as 1,2,3. I wound up having this for lunch and breakfast for a couple of days running.
This morning I decided to make another as I was again craving that lovely combination of broccoli and swiss cheese mixed into an unctuous custard and puffing up in the oven in all its glory. Suffice it to say, you may find this concept particularly useful as the week progresses, and especially if you are feeding a larger group for breakfast, are in a hurry and would rather spend time with your family and guests than to fuss away in the kitchen over long lines of pancakes, waffles, french toast or crepes, as I have been known to do.
Whether you call them a Frittata or a Crustless Quiche, you can make this quick, easy and tasty dish in a matter of moments. You can make one or two, with different ingredients and you can use this idea to empty out your latest collection of leftover vegetables, raw or cooked, the last of the bacon, pancetta or prosciutto, a myriad of mushrooms, and a little cheese, a few eggs and some cream. These are especially lovely at this time of year with some crabmeat or lobster you mind have on hand or go out of your way to have in the fridge, as I do. My recipe for Crabmeat Frittata is always welcome on Christmas morning. http://www.kitchen-inspirational.com/2012/05/09/crabmeat-frittata/
Whenever I don’t have the requisite light cream on hand I merely do a mix of heavy cream and milk – 50/50. It always works out fine. You can use just about any cheese you have, but I prefer Swiss, Gruyere or Comté.
Here is my little recipe for a quick and easy Quiche or Crustless Version. It comes from my dog-eared copy of the Betty Crocker Cookbook, which, now sans cover, is the very first cookbook my Mom gave me and the quiche recipe I have returned to faithfully for well over 35 years. Feel free to sub in anything you’d like to try.
BROCCOLI-SWISS CRUSTLESS QUICHE – adapted from Betty Crocker’s Quiche Lorraine
4 extra large eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups light cream (or 1 cup heavy cream and 1 cup whole milk)
1/3 cup minced red onion
1 1/4 cups shredded Jarlsberg cheese
2 cups broccoli florets, rough chop
3/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp sugar
Preheat oven to 425F.
In a large bowl, combine the eggs, cream, salt, cayenne pepper and sugar with a whisk until well blended. Set aside. If making a quiche, line your pie plate with a single pie crust and crimp. If making a frittata or crustless quiche, use a 10″ non stick skillet. Sprinkle the minced onion, broccoli and cheese all around the crust or the skillet. Pour the custard over all, trying to make sure the ingredients are evenly distributed. For quiche, bake at 400F for 15 minutes. Turn oven down to 300F and bake for an additional 30 minutes. Remove from oven when custard is set and knife inserted in center comes out clean. For Frittata or Crustless Quiche, bake for 20 minutes or until top is lightly browned and custard is firm throughout. Don’t under bake. Enjoy – in any form you may choose!
Wishing you a Holly/Jolly Day!