This savory tomato leek and feta quiche has a creamy inside with a golden-brown crust that is delicious as it is beautiful. It's the classic favorite that should be on every brunch menu.
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This tomato leek and feta quiche does take some time but is well worth it. The dough comes together quickly but needs time to chill, then par bake (see below). Once the crust is assembled, you prepare your ingredients, pour them into your pie crust, and bake in the oven until it's golden brown, and set.
What's the difference between quiche and frittata?
Quiches are made with custard usually consisting of eggs, milk, or cream. It differs from a frittata in that the ratio of liquid to eggs is much higher. Frittatas tend to be more "eggy" while quiche is more "creamy". Quiche is typically baked in a pie crust, but can also be crustless. I prefer mine with a crust-it just makes it slightly more "fancy" and it's a more impressive way to wow your guests.
What is par baking?
Par baking is when you bake the pie crust before adding your ingredients to prevent a soggy bottom and to ensure your crust turns out crisp and golden brown. Since quiches are mostly liquid, they tend to become soggy. Par baking will give you a head start on that crispy crust. While you can skip the par-bake, I don't recommend it as the bottom will not be as firm.
Instructions
See below for preparing the dough for par baking. Refer to the recipe card for full ingredient list and instructions.
Roll the dough out to 12 inches in diameter. Place the dough in the pie pan and press lightly on the bottom and up the sides.
Crimp the dough by tucking the dough under itself and using your forefinger and thumb to form a "v".
Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork. Place a sheet of parchment over and fill with pie weights or dried beans. At this point, your dough is ready for par-baking!
Let the dough cool. Add the parmesan cheese to the bottom of the crust, followed by the tomatoes, leeks, and crumbled feta. Pour the egg and cream mixture over the top and bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes.
The quiche will be ready when it is just set. It should still have a slight wiggle to it. Let the quiche cool and serve warm or at room temperature.
Top Tips
- When making the dough, make sure your butter is cold and the water is ice cold. The amount of ice water you add will depend on the temperature of your room.
- Don't skip draining the tomatoes. You want to extract as much water as possible from the tomatoes so they don't water down your filling.
- For the best taste, purchase block feta and crumble it yourself.
- If you find that the crust is starting to brown too quickly, you can loosely cover it with aluminum foil.
- For the creamiest inside, use a combination of heavy cream and half and half.
- If you want a shinier crust, you can apply an egg wash right before the final bake. Just whisk an egg in a small bowl, and brush along the edges of the crust.
📖Recipe
Tomato, Leek and Feta Quiche
Equipment
- 9" pie plate
- rolling pin
- food processor
- parchment paper
- pie weights or dried beans
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 1¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup cold unsalted butter cut into ½-inch cubes
- 3-5 tablespoon ice water, plus more if needed
For the Filling
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup thinly sliced leeks white and green parts
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- 3 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup half and half
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
Instructions
For the Dough
- In a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar and salt to blend. Add the butter and pulse 5-6 more times until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.1¼ cup all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ cup cold unsalted butter cut into ½-inch cubes
- Add 3 tablespoon of ice water and pulse after each addition. Add additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time until there is just enough water to form a crumbly dough (total 3-6 tbsp). The dough will come together easily, but it will not look uniform or smooth.3-5 tablespoon ice water, plus more if needed
- Roll the dough into a ball onto a lightly floured surface, and then flatten it into a disk. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes. (use this time to prepare the tomatoes- see below).
For the Filling
- Prepare the tomatoes: In a small colander, combine the tomatoes and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Let stand for 30 minutes to drain. After 30 minutes, pat the tomatoes dry with a paper towel to remove as much water/juice as possible.1 cup halved cherry tomatoes, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- While the tomatoes are draining, prepare the leeks: In a medium pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Saute the leeks until soft, but not browned- about 4 minutes. Set aside to cool.1 cup thinly sliced leeks, 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, heavy cream, half and half, ½ teaspoon salt, and pepper. Whisk vigorously until combined. Set aside.3 large eggs, 1 cup heavy cream, ½ cup half and half, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
Par Bake the Crust
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. After 30 minutes, remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a circle, until it's 12 inches in diameter. Transfer the dough to the pie plate and gently press it down and up the sides.
- Tuck the edges under themselves so that they are flush with the edge of the pie plate. Crimp the edges by using a fork or your fingers. Poke the bottom of the crust with a fork. Line the dough with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans.
- Bake the crust for 14-16 minutes. Remove from the oven and then remove the pie weights by lifting them from the sheet of parchment. Return to the oven for another 2 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool completely. Decrease the oven temperature to 350°F.
Assembling and Baking the Quiche
- Add the parmesan cheese to the bottom of the cooled pie crust. Transfer the cooled tomatoes and leeks to the prepared pie crust (don't pack them in). Sprinkle the crumbled feta and basil over the top. Pour the custard over the vegetables.½ cup crumbled feta cheese, 3 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
- Carefully transfer the quiche to the oven and bake at 350° F until the filling appears set around the edge, but is still slightly jiggly in the middle, 35-45 minutes.
- Cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!