Although quiche may be a dish of classic French cuisine, it actually originated in Germany in the medieval kingdom of Lothringen, which the French later occupied and renamed Lorraine (Quiche Lorraine!). ‘Quiche’ is derived from the German word Kuchen, meaning cake. Since my husband and I both have German origins, I offer this savory creation up to the ancestors.
Made with fresh veggies and herbs, I always use organic ingredients and fertile farm fresh eggs. The sausage is local, ground, and hot spiced. You can substitute cooked, uncured, organic bacon for the sausage. It is also good poured and baked in a casserole dish if you wish to avoid the crust. I use a gluten-free crust from the freezer section of my local health food store to save time.
Ingredients:
4 cups zucchini, grated
1 cup greens (spinach, turnip, and/or beet) chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, pressed
2 Tbs. butter
1 Tbs. olive oil 1/2 pound of ground hot spicy sausage
3 eggs
2 Tbs. fresh parsley, minced
½ tsp. dried oregano
2 cups sharp raw goat cheese, grated
1 garden ripe tomato, sliced
2 Tbs. fresh basil, chopped
sea salt and fair trade black pepper
1 gluten free or regular, deep-dish pastry crust
In a skillet, sauté onion and garlic in butter and olive oil under tender, add oregano, zucchini, greens, and salt and pepper to taste sautéing until tender. Cook sausage in separate skillet breaking it up with a spatula until cooked through. In a large bowl whisk eggs with parsley. Add salt and pepper to taste. Fold in cheese and zucchini mixture, sausage, and stir until well blended. Pour in pastry shell and layer top with half of the chopped basil, sliced tomato, and remaining basil. Bake at 400º for 35 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting.