Spirelli and Goat Cheese Quiche

I'm not sure what makes me happier.. the beauty of the spirelli'd vegetables through a slice of this quiche, or the unique crust surrounding it.. or maybe I should just be happy about the whole concept put together because of how delicious it is. 

I've been away for about a week, and too sick to cook.  The second I started feeling better, my pie crust urges started flaring up again.  I will eventually do the traditional american double crusted chicken pot pie, but I want to test out my home made pie crust in a simpler savory tarte, the quiche.

Making dough is probably the best therapy there is out there, especially when the end product is like a reward.  With that said, there is absolutely nothing in common between making dough for bread, and making dough for a pastry.  NOTHING.  With the only common ingredients being flour, salt, and a bit of water, the bread dough has yeast and olive oil, while the pastry dough has an egg yolk and all butter.  When you work an all butter dough with your hands, the feel is different.  You start with the tips of your fingers, then run all of it through your hands as if you were a child in the sandbox, filtering the stones.  It's a much more delicate process than with bread, where the main idea is to knead it and knead it and knead it.  There is something about it that makes me feel so feminine.

I'm not saying men shouldn't make pie crust.  It probably makes them feel masculine.  I suppose what I'm trying to say is, it makes each part of your hand sensitive to what is touching it, which is a good way of really feeling alive...

Rosemary Paprika Pastry
125g (4.4 oz) cubed room temperature butter
250g (8.8 oz) flour
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg yolk
5 cL (1/4 cup) warm water infused with 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
use the method, then poke with a fork and precook for 10-12 minutes at 200°C (400°F)

Quiche Ingredients
1 special sexy pastry
2 spirelli'd zucchinis
2 spirelli'd carrots
1 log goat cheese, cubed
1 tomato, chopped
Beat together:
2 eggs + 2 egg yolks
1 scant cup heavy cream
1 scant cup whole milk
pinch nutmeg
1 tsp dried sage
1 tsp piment d'espelette (or chili powder)
lots of fresh cracked pepper

Assembly
1.  In your precooked pastry, place a layer of zucchini.

2.  Then add the goat cheese.

3.  Then add the carrots.

Ooo it's so pretty!

4.  Then the tomatoes (or leave them out if you have a strange aversion to them).

I love the colors! It's like a celebration!

5.  Then pour in the very well beaten mixture and decorate with a few strands of zucchini.

If you're more intelligent than I am, you'll use a tin where the bottom doesn't pop out.  Can you see the leakage?  I can't believe I made that beginner's mistake.. but hey, I wasn't feeling 100% well.  I suppose the best recipient for this would be a high rimmed not so wide dish.. and I have one, but I love my 27cm pie tin.

6.  Bake at 190°C (375°F) for 40-45 minutes.  It can be jiggly when you take it out.. you don't want it all browned on top.

7.  Wait at least 15 minutes before cutting!!!

I served with a salad.

And I ate 3 slices.

It was delicate and bursting with flavor.. and the goat cheese was not overpowering, but gave it the necessary punch.  Mmmmm.

It was perfect.  My crust was phenomenal.  I love doing the crust thing now.

Did I mention it makes me put my woman face on?