Potato Crust Quiche

Ingredients

0 of 15 out on the counter

• 4 cups (about 14 oz / 400 g) frozen shredded hash browns, thawed and squeezed dry
• 1 tbsp olive oil, for the crust
• ¼ tsp salt, for the crust
• ¼ tsp black pepper, for the crust
• 4 oz white mushrooms, sliced
• 3 cups packed baby spinach
• 1 tsp olive oil, for the vegetables
• ½ cup chopped onion
• ½ cup (2 oz / 57 g) shredded reduced-fat cheddar
• 2 large eggs
• 3 large egg whites
• 1¼ cups fat-free (skim) milk
• ¼ tsp salt, for the custard
• ¼ tsp black pepper, for the custard
• Oil spray for the dish

All set! Everything is out. Time to bake.

Method

1. 1Heat the oven to 425 °F. Spray a 9-inch deep pie dish with oil.
2. 2Mix the hash browns with the olive oil, ¼ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper. Press them firmly into the dish, up the sides and flat across the bottom, as thin and even as you can.
3. 3Bake the crust 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges are browned and the bottom looks dry. Turn the oven down to 350 °F.
4. 4While it bakes, warm the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion and mushrooms 6 to 8 minutes, until the mushrooms have given up their water and it has cooked off. Add the spinach and stir 1 to 2 minutes, until it wilts. Let it cool a few minutes.
5. 5Scatter the vegetables and cheese over the crust.
6. 6Whisk the eggs, egg whites, skim milk, remaining ¼ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper until smooth. Pour them slowly over the filling.
7. 7Bake at 350 °F for 35 to 40 minutes. It is done when the center barely jiggles and a thermometer in the center reads 160 °F. If it is not there, bake 5 minutes at a time.
8. 8Rest 15 minutes before slicing so the custard finishes setting.