Seeking Dinner Inspo? Take a Slice of Carrie’s Simple Feta Cheese Quiche

Looking for something extra special for your next foray into the kitchen? We’ve got the details on a dish that our very own Katie Couric called “a must-make recipe from my favorite chef. (Hint: I’m her mom.)”

That’s right — this is a Carrie Monahan original, which means you can expect quality.

But regardless of pedigree, what truly guarantees that this quiche is must-make? Is it the simple richness of frozen phyllo brushed with melted butter? Is it the two handfuls of fresh herbs? is it the smooth decadence of crème fraîche paired with zingy goat cheese (or feta)? Of course, the answer is that all these components work in concert to create the perfect dressed-up (but not too difficult) dinner. Or lunch. Or even breakfast — it is an egg dish, after all.

Tarragon, Dill, Spinach and Feta Quiche

Ingredients

• Frozen phyllo dough sheets
• 3 cups spinach
• 2 shallots (thinly sliced)
• 1/2 white or red onion (diced finely)
• 1 leek (white and light green parts only, thinly sliced; you could also use scallions instead)
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• 4 eggs
• 1/4 cup fresh tarragon (or parsley if you prefer, chopped)
• 1/4 cup fresh dill (coarsely chopped)
• 3 tbsp fresh thyme (chopped, no stems)
• 2 tbsp crème fraîche (plus more to top off at the end)
• 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese or feta
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Paprika
• Red pepper flakes
• Unsalted butter (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Brush a 9 or 10 inch cake/tart pan with olive oil. Take the phyllo dough out of the freezer so it can soften up a bit.
2. In a large pan, heat 1/4 cup olive oil. Over medium heat, add shallots, onions, and leeks. Add salt and pepper and cook until fragrant and sort of translucent, about 10 minutes. Add in garlic, cook about 1 minute. Add spinach and cook until it wilts down. Add a dash red pepper flakes and paprika. Add chopped herbs. Add salt and pepper again. Set aside.
3. Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Beat in the goat cheese and two tablespoon crème fraîche. Add in the veg/herb mixture. Salt and pepper to taste.
4. Time to layer the phyllo dough. The phyllo dough is delicate, so don’t tear it. Put one sheet down with the edges hanging over two sides of the pan. Between each layer, brush on olive oil or melted unsalted butter. Rotate the cake pan a little each time so that the overhanging dough spreads out evenly around. You should have seven layers.
5. Add the egg and veggie mixture to the cake pan. Shake a little or tap on the counter so it’s even. Fold the overhanging pieces of phyllo dough in so they sort of form a crust.
6. Bake 40–50 minutes until the dough looks crisp and brown. If it looks like the filling is getting too brown, put foil over it.
7. Let cool, slice, and serve. Optional: add a dollop of crème fraîche and sprinkle on some dill and tarragon. If you want to be extra fancy, dill is amazing when you toss it with some lemon zest.