Last month I went out for brunch with a few girlfriends to the Rose & Rooster café in Grand Desert, NS. Now usually on brunch dates, I immediately gravitate towards the eggs Benny (I’m a sucker for a good hollandaise sauce) but instead, this time I decided to go for something a bit different, the Asparagus, Tomato & Feta Quiche.
And just like that my commitment to the Benny was broken. This quiche was easily the best I’ve ever tasted. It was so good that after my day out with the girls, I ran straight to the market to grab the ingredients I needed to make my own.
Now, at this point you’re probably thinking ‘this is a recipe for a frittata, not a quiche’, and I have a perfectly good explanation for that… I suck at making pie crust. So let’s leave that to the professionals.
Frittatas and quiches are extremely versatile and can quite honestly be made from whatever you have in the kitchen. The basic ingredients would include some or all of the following: a crust (quiche), eggs, meat, vegetables, herbs/spices and cheese. In addition to this delicious recipe, a couple of my favourite combinations are Spinach and Swiss Quiche and Potato, Leek and Wild Mushroom Frittata.
Packed with local vegetables, this dish is:
Fresh and flavourful
Very nutritious
& Absolutely delicious
One of the best things about making a frittata is how quick and easy it is to prepare. I started this recipe by simply chopping up a couple tomatoes, a few stalks of asparagus and a large onion and tossing them into a lightly greased pie dish, along with some crumbled feta and cracked pepper.
Then I added my eggs (whisked with a tablespoon of milk) and topped the dish with a few stalks of asparagus, sliced tomato and crumbled feta and just like that it was ready for the oven!
Quick cooking tip: preparation time can be reduced even more by using a a cast iron or oven-safe nonstick skillet. This allows for most cooking to be done before the frittata enters the oven. Simply sauté your veggies and spread into an even layer, top with cheese, add the eggs and allow to cook until you see the eggs at the edges of the pan beginning to set. Then place the pan in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes to finish cooking.
Whatever cooking method you choose, the results should be relatively similar and you should be left with a beautiful and tasty frittata to enjoy with family and friends!
If you try this recipe at home, please let us know! Post a photo on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter and #uprootedblog. Happy brunchin’ friends!
- 1½ c. diced asparagus, plus a couple stalks (Canning, NS)
- ¾ c. diced onion (Berwick, NS)
- 1 c. diced tomato, plus a few slices (Lawrencetown, NS)
- ½ plus 1 Tbsp. crumbled feta cheese (Aylesford, NS)
- 1 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper
- 5 to 6 large eggs (Jeddore, NS)
- 1 Tbsp. whole milk (Port Williams, NS)
- Fresh chives (Lake Charlotte, NS)
- Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F)
- Add the asparagus, tomatoes, onion, feta and cracked pepper to a greased 9-inch pie plate
- In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and milk. Pour over the vegetables and stir to combine
- Top with sprigs of asparagus, tomato slices and crumbled feta
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Let sit for five minutes before cutting
- Garnish with fresh chives and enjoy!
