Caramelized Broccoli and Fontina Quiche

I introduced my kids to Mannheim Steamroller. We were driving around on another string of never-ending errands and we couldn’t find any music on the radio we could agree on. As the music filled the car I remembered being about my kid’s age, sitting in the backseat of my parents lumbering gray and red suburban watching the snowy trees go past, while my dad blasted Mannheim Steamroller from the front seat. We were probably on our way to Lookout Pass, a tiny ski area on the Idaho-Montana border, but really we could have been going to Safeway. Regardless it was a sweet memory and made me smile in the midst of insisting to my children they should just give the music a try.

Ready or not, we are celebrating early with extended family over the weekend and I’m excited for a weekend of games, food, hopefully a little snow (for the kids!) and all the merry chaos that ensues when you put 20 people together in one house. 

We will stay up too late and eat way too much rich food. The kids will be tired and cranky by the end and I’m sure someone will break a dish. We might step on each other’s toes; actually I can guarantee something along those lines will happen, but it’s worth it. Time together, even under imperfect circumstances is always better than no time at all. I will play Mannheim Steamroller in hopes it seeps into my children memories and turn the music up loud when I need to.

Whether you’ve got a house-full next week or not, this recipe for quiche is worth a try. Store-bought pie-crust saves a couple hours in the kitchen and still makes a lovely base for a cheesy decadent quiche. I stumbled on a recipe for a fontina and broccoli grilled cheese sandwich and immediately decided that would be a lovely combination with eggs. I wasn’t wrong. Broccoli, onion and a little garlic are sautéed in butter until tender before getting a quick hit of balsamic vinegar and a dash of red pepper flakes for maximum flavor. Combined with eggs and a generous handful of Fontina cheese, this is the perfect dish to serve for brunch or save for an easy and seriously delicious dinner.

Caramelized Broccoli and Fontina Quiche

• 1 store-bought nine inch pie crust

• 6 large eggs

• 1 cup milk

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 2-3 cups broccoli florets, diced into bite-wise pieces

• 1/2 medium sweet onion, diced

• 1 clove garlic, diced

• 1 tablespoon salted butter

• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• Pinch black pepper

• Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

• 1 cup shredded fontina, divided

• 3/4 cup arugula, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 9-inch cake pan with cooking spray. Carefully unroll pie crust and press into the pan. Don’t worry about perfectly fluted edges, you’re going for a rustic look. 

In a large saute pan, heat butter over medium heat. Once the butter melts add the onion and broccoli to the pan, stirring occasionally until the broccoli sears and the onion softens. Cook for about 7 -10 minutes until the broccoli is tender. Add the garlic, balsamic vinegar, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes. Turn heat to low and stirring constantly, cook an additional 3-5 minutes until the vinegar is completely absorbed. Turn the heat off and move pan off heat.

Divide the fontina cheese in half. Scatter half the cheese on the pie crust. In a bowl, whisk eggs, milk and baking powder together. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Pour eggs into pie crust. Gently stir in broccoli mixture. Top with the rest of the fontina cheese. Bake for 40 minutes or until the egg mixture is solid. 

To serve, cut quiche into eight pieces and garnish with arugula.