Roasted Pumpkin, Spinach and Gorgonzola Quiche

One of the most important trends I've noticed throughout pumpkin fest is that sweet dishes usually involve lots of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and pumpkin pie spice. Savory dishes however, use sage. This quiche is no exception.

The phyllo dough crust takes a little time but adds a great texture. If you've never worked with it before, you just buy the dough frozen at any grocery store (it's by the Sara Lee frozen pies and Cool Whip).

The quiche turned out a little moist when I served it right out of the oven, but still tasted incredible. However, I might have cooked it a little longer or let it chill to solidify a bit before serving. This was one of those dishes where the leftovers sat on my counter being nibbled at after dinner and was completely gone by the time I went to bed that night. I served it for dinner, but it would also work beautifully for brunch!

Roasted Pumpkin and Gorgonzola Quiche

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups onion, sliced thinly into half-moons
water as needed
2 cups pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
12 sheets phyllo dough, thawed as directed on package
1/4 cup olive oil
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup half and half
1/2 cup crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 cup frozen spinach, thawed
3 ounces gorgonzola or other blue cheese, crumbled
1 tablespoon sage, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon basil
1/2 tablespoon thyme
1/2 tablespoon pepper

• Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat
• Add the onions and saute until the onions are tender, about 10-15 minutes
• Reduce the heat to just a bit below medium, add 1/4 cup water, cover and cook until the onions turn a deep golden brown, about 15 minutes until they are soft and golden (Add a bit more water if it starts to get to dry)
• Meanwhile, toss the pumpkin with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Roast the pumpkin (see here for more in depth instructions on cooking pumpkin)
• Unroll the phyllo pastry - be very patient when thawing this, if it is still frozen, it will crack and break into small pieces which is wholly unhelpful
• Brush a sheet of phyllo pastry with the olive oil and place it in the bottom of spring-form pan with the ends hanging over the side of the pan and repeat with the remaining sheets placing them on top
• Mix the onions, pumpkin, eggs, milk, mushrooms, spinach, gorgonzola and sage and pour it into the crust.
• Bake in a preheated 375F oven until golden brown and set in the center, about 35-45 minutes.
• Allow to cool in spring form for 5-10 minutes then remove from springform and serve

Spinach, Tomato and Fontina Sliders: No Assembly Required.

As you may notice from the one month break in posts, it's been a hectic few weeks. I went to Spain for a week and visited a friend. We had a phenomenal time sightseeing, dancing, and even embarked on a cannoli hunt that lasted several days and concluded with a cannoli of epic proportions, but that is a tale for another time.

After that, my mother and I began a week-long road trip to drive my harp along with all my other stuff up to New York so I could move in. Since arriving, I have been frantically setting up my new apartment. I've taken on all roles - locksmith, plumber, carpenter, etc. So needless to say when it came to cooking, I needed something that was indeed, No Assembly Required. It was also taking longer than expected to get my gas turned on, so I only had a toaster oven to work with when cooking which sparked a lot of toast, warm sandwiches, and when I was feeling a bit more creative, these cute and healthy little snacks.

The recipe is too simple. Slice a tomato, put it on the toaster tray, top with a slice of fontina (or whatever other cheese you prefer). Toast until nice and melty, put on a bed of fresh spinach, and top with herbs. I did go out and buy a sleek little planter and put some fresh herbs in, so I threw on fresh oregano and rosemary (my current spice-infatuation).

These require basically no ingredients, minimal prep, and are quite delectable. So next time you need a break from unpacking, bookcase building, and all the other stresses of starting a new semester, give these a try!