Sunday Supper, Episode 3: Surprisingly easy vegetarian quiche

Vegetarian quiche with spinach, feta and tomato

Quiche always has seemed a lofty creation, one which must be treated with a certain level of reverence. "Oh! Mustn't open the oven whilst the quiche is baking, lest we disturb its delicate baking process. Do not look directly at the quiche! Never look directly at the quiche!"
But this recipe is easy. So easy, in fact, that I was able to pull it together at 8 p.m., after a long and expensive* visit to Publix and a growling stomach that caused me to cut corners and race against the clock. (*The quiche ingredients were not expensive. The damned cats and their special food are expensive.)

The recipe is a very close adaptation of the cover-featured recipe from the April 2009 issue of Vegetarian Times (recipe not yet available online). The VT is my vegetarian Bible. Every issue is filled with mouth-watering photos and amazing sounding recipes. It is a very motivating publication and I save every dog-earred copy in a pile next to my stack of cookbooks.

Veggie quiche (Adapted from a Vegetarian Times recipe)
Ingredients
-6-8 sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed (This should be thawed at room temp for two hours. Or, if you're like me, microwaved for 30 seconds and very carefully pulled apart)
-3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
-2-3 tsp. sesame seeds
-1 10-ounce package of frozen spinach, thawed with all water squeezed out
-3/4 low-fat feta cheese
-20 grape tomatoes, halved
-2 eggs
-1 cup soy milk
-Pinch ground nutmeg
-Sea salt and ground pepper to taste

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. To make the crust, place first phyllo sheet into a lightly greased glass pie pan. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Cover with a sheet of phyllo. Repeat as desired (as in, if you want a thick crust, repeat the step with 7 or 8 more sheets, thinner crust=less layers). Press cheese into crust. Cover with spinach and top with tomato halves. Whisk together eggs, milk, nutmeg, salt and pepper in a medium bowl and pour over crust. Place on a baking sheet in middle of oven. The recipe recommends 45 to 50 minutes, but I left mine in for closer to 55, or just about long enough for the top to turn brown and the center to set.

Tips
I intend to try a vegan version of quiche, if such a thing exists. This recipe is pleasantly and surprisingly light. The crust is crisp and not at all heavy. Because there is no butter and only two eggs, this is a relatively light quiche. Next time, I plan to try an egg alternative and add more vegetables, such as steamed asparagus or artichoke. The more veggies, the better, right? This pie disappeared quite quickly, but Adam said what little leftovers remained were just as tasty the next afternoon.
A HIGHLY recommended entree. A bit labor intensive, but delicious and easy on the wallet.