Chanterelles and Kale Quiche in Flaky Pastry

Ingredients

½ recipe Whole Wheat Flaky

Pastry Dough (page 313)

Extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound chanterelles or other wild mushrooms, wiped clean and chopped or torn into large pieces

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ medium onion, thinly sliced

2 cups lightly packed (140 g) finely sliced kale (I like to use lacinato kale, aka Tuscan kale)

3 large eggs

2 large yolks

1 cup (240 ml) milk

1 cup (240 ml) heavy or whipping cream

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

1 cup (120 g) grated Fontina cheese

¼ cup (30 g) finely grated

Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Directions

Heat the oven to 325°F (160°C).

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pie dough into a round about 14 inches (36 cm) across.

Transfer the dough to a 10-inch (25 cm) tart pan with a removable bottom by folding the dough in half and then laying it over the pan and opening it up. Gently press the dough into the corners and up the sides of the pan. Trim any excess dough so that you're left with about ½ inch (1.25 cm) of overhang all around. Fold the dough overhang so the tart shell walls are a double thickness (I like to fold outward, away from the center of the quiche) and tuck and pinch so that the top rim of the tart shell is about ¼ inch (6 mm) taller than the edge of the pan— this is insurance in case your crust shrinks a little. Refrigerate the tart shell for at least 30 minutes

Line the tart shell with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans, making sure that the beans reach into the corners of the shell. Put the tart shell on a baking sheet and bake until the edges are golden and the bottom is starting to set, about 30 minutes. Remove the parchment and weights and continue baking until the crust is dark golden all around, another 10 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven but leave the oven on. Let the tart shell cool on a rack. (If you pour the filling into a hot crust, the crust will get soggy and you'll lose the crisp, flaky texture.)

While the crust is cooling, prepare the filling. Pour a generous glug of olive oil into a large skillet or Dutch oven and heat over medium-high heat. Add the chanterelles in an even layer and season with a nice sprinkling of salt and pepper. (Cook the mushrooms in batches if your pan can't accommodate them all in one layer.) Don't disturb the mushrooms until they're nicely browned on one side, then flip them over and cook until all are browned and slightly crisp at the edges. Depending on the mushrooms, they may give off a lot of liquid; if so, just keep cooking until it has evaporated and the mushrooms will brown. Scrape the mushrooms out of the pan into a bowl and set aside.

Return the pan to the heat, reduce the heat to medium, and add a hint more oil and the onion. Cook over medium heat until soft and fragrant but not actually browned, about 4 minutes. Add the kale and about 2 tablespoons water, cover the pan, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the kale is tender and the onion is very soft and jammy. Season to taste with a bit more salt and pepper and let cool.

Whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, milk, cream, salt, and nutmeg in a medium bowl.

When the crust has cooled, put it back on the baking sheet (it's easier to handle this way), distribute the chanterelles, onion-kale mixture, Fontina, and Parmigiano in the crust, and pour on the egg mixture.

Return the pan to the oven and bake until just set and maybe barely puffing, about 35 minutes. Cool to warm room temperature, cut, and serve.

Notes

I always have a batch of ultraversatile whole wheat pastry dough in the freezer (divided in two), so that I can whip up a quiche, pie, galette, or other dish that wants buttery, flaky pastry. The crust gives a comforting embrace to whatever you put in the filling. I love this hearty combination of autumn ingredients, but you can make the quiche with whatever vegetable combination you have on hand; you'll need about 2 cups (about 500 ml) total, once they're cooked. —Makes one 10-inch (25 cm) quiche (not deep-dish)