Potato-Crusted Leek and Feta Quiche
Happy March!! Can you believe we made it?!! Maybe it’s still sorta chilly wherever you hail from, but in honor of the new season that’s just around the corner (only a mere 20 days away now) I thought we’d start out the month (and week) with this light, veggie-ish, and very springtime-feeling, Potato-Crusted Leek and Feta Quiche. If hash browns make you 😁 you are going to fall head over heels for this!!
Plus, it’s gluten-free and just as wonderful for dinner as it is for brunch!
And, if traditional quiche, with its rolled out crust intimidates you, you will find this potato-crusted version SO much easier!! The hardest part is the grating— watch those knuckles!!
Anyhoo, once you’ve grated those pesky spuds and drained as much liquid out of them as possible, you mix them with a little salt and egg white and press them into a pie plate.
Then you brush with a bit of oil and partially bake the crust. This helps to ensure that the final product comes out really crispy and crunchy!
While you’re baking the crust, you can easily prepare the leek and feta filling. Once the leeks get sautéed for a few minutes to soften them up, you simply mix them with the eggs, feta and other goodies and by that time the potato crust is ready to be filled!
And baked!
The creamy, eggy filling contrasts perfectly with the golden, crispy shredded potato crust!
And the taste—well, you know how yummy potato-leek soup is? Triple that!! Is there anything better than homemade quiche?!!
Every bite makes you know that warmer days are on their way!! Phew!!
Potato-Crusted Leek and Feta Quiche
Makes 6-8 servings
Prep Time for crust: 20 minutes; Bake Time for crust: 35 minutes; Prep Time for filling: 15 minutes; Bake Time for Quiche: 35-40 minutes
Ingredients
For the crust
2 large Russet potatoes
Generous pinch of salt
1 egg white (you’ll be adding the yolk to the filling so just set it aside)
2 teaspoons canola oil, divided
For the filling
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 leeks, sliced lengthwise, cut into thin half moons, rinsed well in a colander and dried as much as possible
4 large eggs, plus the leftover yolk
1 cup milk (any percent but skim)
1 cup crumbled feta
Handful of chopped parsley
Pinch or two of salt and black pepper
The Recipe
1. For the crust: Preheat oven to 400ºF. Peel potatoes and grate them on the large holes of a box grater. Place them in a colander in the the sink and toss with the salt. Let sit for 10 minutes to allow them to drain—this helps to get a crispier crust.
2. While the potatoes are draining, whisk the egg whites in a medium bow until they’re frothy. Once the potatoes have drained, take small handfuls of the mixture and squeeze as much liquid of them as you possibly can over the sink, adding the drained handfuls to the bowl with the egg whites as you go. Stir well.
3. Brush a 9-inch pie plate with a little oil and press the potato mixture into it, pushing down on the bottom and up the sides. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove from the oven, brush all over the surface with a little oil and return to the oven for another 10-15 minutes until the bottom of the crust is pale golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside. Lower the temp to 350ºF.
4. While the crust is baking, prepare the filling: Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat and add the leeks, stirring often, for about 5 minutes, until they’re softened but not brown. Remove from the heat and set aside.
5. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and yolk until well combined. Then , whisk in the milk. Stir in the feta, parsley, salt, pepper and cooked leeks and pour this mixture into the cooked crust. Place the whole thing on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for about 30 minutes, until a knife inserted into the center of the quiche comes out clean and the top is golden brown. Let sit for about 10 minutes to firm up and then use a sharp knife to cut wedges. Serve hot or at room temperature.
6. You can definitely make this early in the day and reheat in a low oven before serving. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Enjoy!
Note: Recipe adapted from Dinner Uncomplicated by Claire Tansey. I tinkered with proportions and techniques—feel free to swap onions for the leeks and sub in a different kind of cheese. I think this would also work really well with a sweet potato crust.
