Filo Crust Quiche

This is a crispy crust quiche made without a rolling pin! It’s sort of a cross between quiche and spanakopita which is typically individual stuffed filo turnovers or sometimes made as a pie.

I thought it was the cleverest quiche ever when friends served it to me. They used a skillet and I’ve also used a spring-form pan. They included cayenne pepper in the oil for the filo layers, which brilliantly adds a kick to the quiche.

If you’re feeling nervous about flaky-crumbly dried out filo dough, I have a trick for that in my instructions. I learned it years ago from cooking teacher Weezie Mott in Alameda California, whom many of my culinary friends fondly remember.

The quiche filling can be adjusted to your taste, adding diced cooked bacon, ham, various lightly cooked vegetables and basically whatever cheese suits your fancy. I hope you give it a go and you might never turn back to pie crust quiche!

Print Recipe

Filo Crust Quiche

Quiche crust is a cinch with rumpled filo dough. The filling amounts are approximate. The egg and milk mixture are what worked well for me either in a 9-inch spring-form pan or skillet.

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time35 minutes mins

Equipment

• 9-inch oven-proof skillet or a spring-form pan
• 1 sheet parchment paper, about 13×18"

Ingredients

• 2 cups (150g) sliced button mushrooms
• 2 cups (150g) thinly sliced leek or 1 cup thin sliced or diced onion
• 1 bunch (~400g) chard, stems and leaves chopped and separated or collard or kale leaves
• 6 large eggs
• 1 cup whole milk or 2% milk. Or part cream is extra good
• fresh ground black pepper
• 4 Tbsp. olive oil, divided use
• 2 Tbsp. salted or unsalted butter
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 8 sheets filo sheets, appx 13"x17" – see purchasing tip below
• 1 cup (~100g) lightly packed shredded cheese such as gruyere, Emmenthaler, white cheddar, Swiss I like using a combination. A few tablespoons of grated Parmesan in addition to the shredded cheese perks up the flavor

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375F.

  Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a wide skillet. Cook mushrooms, leeks and chard stems until starting to soften, then add the leaves. Cook a few more minutes stirring until vegetables are just tender. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and several grinds black pepper. Set aside.
• Lightly crumple each of the 8 sheets of filo and place them all loosely in a clean plastic bag.
  
• Combine remaining olive oil, butter, and cayenne in a heat proof dish. Microwave until butter is melted. Run the parchment paper under running water and shake off all the excess water. Crumple the paper and place in the pan pressing against edges of the pan.
  
• Layer the first sheet of filo over the parchment with the ends hanging over edge of the pan. Place a second piece crosswise over the first. Brush lightly with the oil-butter and repeat two more times for total of six layers.
  
• Spread the filling ingredients over the filo and top with the cheese.
  
• Pour the egg mixture over the ingredients.
  
• Bring the edges of filo up over the filling. Layer the last two sheets of filo on top, brushing with the oil and tucking edges in between the quiche and the parchment paper. Don't worry if any of the filo cracks or crumbles, just brush with a little more oil and it will stick together.
  
• Bake in preheated 375F oven for 30-40 minutes until golden brown, puffy, and the center feels just set when lightly touched. Let cool slightly then remove from the pan and discard the parchment paper. Serve warm or room temperature.

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Notes

Filo dough can be purchased at most supermarkets and Middle Eastern markets.  If it’s a busy market, the filo may be fresher and less crumbly than from a supermarket. (In my experience). 

It doesn’t really matter if the filo crumbles, but it’s easier to work with full sheets.

Always thaw frozen filo per package directions. I do not know of any way to speed up thawing.