Column & Photos by Ali Carter, WPVGA Auxiliary Member
Author John Gunther said, “All happiness depends on a leisurely breakfast.” I happen to agree with him, and this quiche is the perfect way to start your day…or end it. I firmly believe that it is perfectly
acceptable to enjoy breakfast for dinner.
This Montamore & Goat Cheese Quiche with Hash Brown Crust looks elegant enough to serve to guests any time of the day yet is quite simple to prepare.
In a large bowl, mix your hash browns, one egg and one ounce of the Montamore cheese. If you do not have Montamore cheese you can substitute shredded parmesan.
Montamore cheese is, in my opinion, the BEST cheese in existence. It is made here in Wisconsin at Sartori and my family loves this cheese so much that I drive to Antigo to buy it in bulk directly from Sartori.
I call this the ‘love cheese’. It is sweet yet tangy and incredibly creamy yet shreds well, similar to parmesan…but better. Combined with the tart earthy flavor of goat cheese this makes for complete deliciousness. Yummmmmm.
Once you have your hash browns mixed with the egg and cheese add a bit of salt and pepper to taste.
Pat this hash brown mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the springform pan. Press firmly.
You may need to moisten your hands lightly with water to assist with this. Place your pan onto a rimmed baking sheet to avoid any messes and bake in the oven for about 15 to 20 minutes until the crust is set.
While the crust is in the oven mix together the remaining 11 eggs, the sour cream, the crumbled goat cheese, the remaining Montamore cheese, ¾ of the sliced scallions, and salt and pepper to taste. Pour this mixture into the crust and then sprinkle with the last of the scallions.
Bake at 350 for about 50 minutes until the eggs have set. You know when the quiche is ready to be removed from the oven when you gently tap the pan and there is a slight jiggle in the middle while the sides stay motionless. However, do not overcook the quiche, tough eggs are not a pleasant thing.
MONTAMORE AND GOAT CHEESE QUICHE WITH HASH BROWN CRUST
(Serves 4)
3 Tbsp. softened butter
1 (1 pound) package of frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
12 eggs
1-¼ cup reduced fat sour cream
5 oz. soft goat cheese, crumbled
2 oz. Montamore cheese, shredded
3 scallions, sliced thinly
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
Brush a 9×12 inch springform pan with butter and line the bottom and sides with wax paper.
Once the wax paper is placed inside of the pan, brush the paper with butter to ensure that your finished quiche will not stick to the pan.
Don’t forget this step! I just may be speaking from experience on this.
