They don’t call me Culinary K for nothing. I have baked this so many times by now that I will probably not bake it again for a year. Many thanks to Yankee publishing for giving me the groundwork for the recipe. No matter how great a recipe is, we all like to tweak them to our taste. The Chèvre (plain white goat cheese) can be a little overwhelming on the palate and an acquired taste. I like it and this is one of my favorites. However, others don’t feel the same about the taste, my mom, for instance.
Have you tried the Chèvre rolls with spiced cranberries or blueberries? Delicious!
Anyway, in my travels with this dish I have found that store bought crusts work just as well as homemade. I will not include the crust recipe, as most people have a savory/plain pie crust recipe they prefer anyway, and any crust will do so long as it is not sweet. Buy store brands or make your own, it will not harm the heart of this recipe in the least, but rather make it all your own.
In addition to that research, because so much was made, I tested out the freezing quality of the tart (quiche?). Several other taste buds assured me that I was correct in that it froze perfectly and didn’t affect the consistency of the filling. Make it and freeze it with confidence. The slices can be warmed up in the microwave or standard oven – breakfast, lunch or dinner.
K’s Perfected Chèvre Leek Quiche
- 2 1/2 Cups thinly sliced leeks (light green/white parts).
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- Salt (sea salt or table)
- Cracked Black Pepper Fresh
- 8 Ounces plain Chèvre (goat cheese), room temp.
- 8 Ounces plain cream cheese, room temp.
- 2 Tablespoons whole milk (I used Lactaid™ fat free milk and it was great!)
- 3 Large egg yolks, divided
- 1 Teaspoon thyme leaves (dry or fresh)
- 1 Tablespoon Water
- 1 Piecrust (not sweet)
Steam Leeks until tender. When done, set aside and preheat oven to 375°.
Spread piecrust in a deep 12″ diameter pie dish. Spread the steamed leeks tossed with olive oil and salt and pepper (to taste), evenly on the bottom. Set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cheeses, eggs, thyme, 2 egg yolks, and milk along with a dash of pepper and salt. Press this mixture into pie plate on top of the leeks. Fold the edges of the crust over the filling, creating a 1/2-1″ wide strip all the way around.
Mix remaining yolk with water and brush the tart, crust and all.
Bake until crust is golden – approximately 50 minutes. Let cool before cutting and serving. Best served/eaten warm.