Mushroom Quiche(Wheat flour Crust)~ Baking Partners Challenge

Quiche(pronounced K-E-E-S-H) is an open pie or savory pie filled with a custard,meat,sea food or veggie filling.Its a French dish served as a party food and can be served hot or cold though I love it warm.This takes up a lot of calories as butter,cream,eggs and the filling if its meat/chicken makes is used.Each time I planned to try quiche was postponed because of the same reason of calories.However,Baking partners challenge for this month suggested by Swathi@ Zesty South Indian Kitchen and Arthy @ Cook with Arthy Sharma was a quiche.And finally gave it a try by trying the mushroom quiche with Indian spices.The pie crrust is first blind baked and then baked with the veggie or meat filling and topped with custard and cheese.You can always alter the spices in the filling and add according to your taste buds.The fillings are versatile and can be made as per preferences.I have followed the recipe suggested except that I added half of wheat flour and all purpose flour(maida) to the crust which worked fine.This serves good for an appetizer and can be cut in eight pieces.If you love the savory pies,am sure you will love this too.The buttery flaky crust with the creamy delicious filling makes it scrumptious.Try this out !!

Preparation time~1 hour
Resting time~2hours-overnight
Baking time~more than 1 hour(2 bakes)
Serves ~9" round quiche
Ingredients
whole wheat flour 8tbsp /1/2 cup
all purpose flour(maida) 8tbsp /1/2 cup
butter unsalted,chilled cut in cubes 85g or 6 tbsp
salt 1/2tsp
chilled water 1.5-2tbsp

for filling
button mushrooms 175g /slightly lesser than 1/2 lb
ginger chopped fine 1/2tsp
garlic chopped fine 1/2 tsp
shallots1/4 cup chopped
spring onion/green onion bulb 1/4 cup
finely chopped spring onion /green onion 1 cup
butter 1tbsp
turmeric powder a pinch
coriander powder/malli podi 1 tsp
chilly powder /mulagu podi 1/2 tsp
salt to taste

for custard
heavy cream 1/2 cup
egg 1
chilly powder 1/2 tsp
pepper powder 1/4tsp
salt to taste

topping
parmesan cheese /cheddar cheese 55g/slightly more than 1/2 cup

Method

• In a bowl,add the flours,salt and cut the butter in cubes.Rub through the flour to get dispersed well.The dough may look crumpy,add in the chilled water.Each clump should hold shape when pressed and not fall together.Cling wrap the dough and refrigerate for two hours -overnight(I refrigerated for two hours).

• In the mean time,when the quiche dough is resting for chilling in refrigerator,you can prepare the filling.I used mushroom filling.Heat butter or oil in  a pan (I used oil) and add in  the sliced shallots,sliced onion bulbs and followed by chopped ginger and garlic.To this add all the spice powders listed in filling and saute on low flame.Add the mushrooms and cook till it starts to leave the water.Cook until the moisture is dry and then finally add green onions.The moisture should be completely dried up else it becomes soggy.

• Thaw the quiche dough for 15-20 minutes after refrigeration so that you can roll it down easily.Now,take two parchment papers of large size or baking mats and keep the dough in between sandwiched to roll them in thin circle of 10-10.5" diameter to cover a 9" pie pan.
• Pull the top parchment paper and gently transfer the rolled out dough on to the pie pan by inverting so that the parchment sheet is on top now..Pull the parchment paper and now gently remove any excess dough on the sides of the pie pan and shape the sides by gently tapping with fingers on all sides and round with your fingers.If you have any scarps left out,use for any areas were the dough looks thinned out or torn.Using a fork,prick the dough at the bottom of the pan so that it doesn't puff up.

• Refrigerate the pie pan for another 15-20 minutes and then pre heat oven to 200 degrees C or 400 degrees F.Add a sheet of parchment paper covering the center of the dough and the sides(for blind baking).Fill the pie pan with legumes or cereals or rice,I used vanpayaru or red oriental beans,but you can use any other cereal or legumes(helps to weigh down the dough so that it doesn't puff up).The beans or legumes used for blind baking may not be fit for cooking as it is exposed to high temperatures then,so use accordingly.Blind bake the pie for 20 minutes and then remove the beans along with parchment paper.Bake again for 15 minutes.Remove and keep aside when you see the sides getting browned and the sides starts to leave the pan.

• To make Custard- Whip the cream,egg and spices together with some salt nicely.Keep aside.
• To assemble-Pre heat oven to 350 degrees F and spread the quiche crust with half of the parmesan cheese or cheddar cheese.Then add in the mushroom filling.Fill the custard and top it up again with remaining parmesan cheese.Bake in pre heated oven for 35 minutes or until the filling is set and firm.Serve warm or cold once out of the oven(I cut the slices when it was hot and so the filling was goeey,wait till its warm on touch to cut in slices).

NOTES
* You can add milk instead of cream if you would like to reduce calories.But that may take longer time to set.
* The ratio of cream/milk to eggs is 2:1.So,add accordingly.
* I used a 9" pie pan but this can be done in a 8" pie pan too.
* This is an Indianized version of the filling but you can always alter as per taste preferences.
* I have used a mix of all purpose flour(maida) and wheat flour but you can always use all purpose flour alone.In that case just use 1.5tbsp of chilled water.