Recipe: A smashed potato crust on this quiche, filled with eggs and asparagus, is ideal for Easter brunch

Boston Globe

15-04-2025

Smashed Potato and Asparagus Quiche Karoline Boehm Goodnick for The Boston Globe
Makes one 9-inch round
A potato-crust quiche is pretty on an Easter brunch buffet, especially for vegetarians and gluten-free folks. For the cook on a budget, even with the high price of eggs, it's less expensive than a lamb roast or ham. The quiche is made in a springform pan with smashed potatoes as the crust. The potatoes are actually cooked three times: first boiled whole until tender, then smashed into the pan and prebaked as a crust, and finally filled with eggs, asparagus, spinach, and herbs and baked again. When the tart is done, the potato crust is golden brown, even a little crispy. Prep the filling while the potatoes are cooking. Quickly boil the asparagus and then submerge the short lengths into ice water to avoid overcooking. Wilt the spinach in a skillet of onion and garlic, and beat the eggs with heavy cream and fresh herbs. Goat cheese goes onto the filling in dollops. The quiche is done when the eggs are just set in the center. Serve warm wedges with a mixed lettuce salad. Butter (for the pan)
6 medium Yukon Gold potatoes (about 1 3/4 pounds), unpeeled
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ large bunch fresh asparagus, ends trimmed and discarded, stalks cut into 1-inch pieces
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
5 ounces fresh baby spinach
6 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
½ cup heavy cream
4
ounces soft goat cheese 1. Set the oven at 400 degrees. Butter a 9-inch springform pan. If your pan is aluminum, line the bottom and sides with parchment paper, cut to fit the pan and pressed into it. Butter the paper. If your pan is nonstick, butter it (you don't need to line it with parchment).
2. Place the potatoes in a large saucepan, cover with 1 inch of cold water, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover the pan, and simmer for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a skewer. Drain into a colander; cool to room temperature.
3. Place one or two potatoes in the springform pan; with a flat bottom measuring cup or your hands, gently smash and press the potatoes firmly into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of the pan. Continue smashing until all the potatoes are in the pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Bake the potato crust for 20 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, bring another saucepan of salted water to a boil. Have on hand a bowl of ice water. Add the asparagus to the boiling water. Cook for 3 minutes, or until the asparagus are tender but still bright green. With a slotted spoon, transfer the asparagus to the ice water. When they are cold, drain into a sieve.
5. In a skillet over medium-high heat, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 2 to 3 minutes or until softened and beginning to brown. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the spinach to the pan, and cook, carefully turning the leaves, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until completely wilted. Remove from the heat.
6. In a bowl, whisk the eggs, chives, parsley, heavy cream, and a generous pinch each of salt and pepper.
7. Crumble half of the goat cheese and place it on the potatoes. Add the asparagus and spread it in a single layer. Top with the spinach mixture. Crumble the remaining goat cheese over the spinach. Pour the egg mixture into the pan.
8. Transfer to the bottom rack of the oven. Bake for 25 minutes. Move the pan to the top rack of the oven. Continue baking for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned and the eggs are set; the internal temperature of the quiche will be 160 degrees in the center. (Total baking time is 35 to 40 minutes.)
9. Set the pan on a wire rack to cool slightly. Unlatch the ring from the springform pan. While it's still warm, serve the quiche cut into wedges.
Karoline Boehm Goodnick
Makes one 9-inch round
A potato-crust quiche is pretty on an Easter brunch buffet, especially for vegetarians and gluten-free folks. For the cook on a budget, even with the high price of eggs, it's less expensive than a lamb roast or ham. The quiche is made in a springform pan with smashed potatoes as the crust. The potatoes are actually cooked three times: first boiled whole until tender, then smashed into the pan and prebaked as a crust, and finally filled with eggs, asparagus, spinach, and herbs and baked again. When the tart is done, the potato crust is golden brown, even a little crispy. Prep the filling while the potatoes are cooking. Quickly boil the asparagus and then submerge the short lengths into ice water to avoid overcooking. Wilt the spinach in a skillet of onion and garlic, and beat the eggs with heavy cream and fresh herbs. Goat cheese goes onto the filling in dollops. The quiche is done when the eggs are just set in the center. Serve warm wedges with a mixed lettuce salad.
Butter (for the pan) 6 medium Yukon Gold potatoes (about 1 3/4 pounds), unpeeled Salt and pepper, to taste 2 tablespoons olive oil ½ large bunch fresh asparagus, ends trimmed and discarded, stalks cut into 1-inch pieces 1 small onion, finely chopped 1 clove garlic, finely chopped 5 ounces fresh baby spinach 6 eggs, lightly beaten 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley ½ cup heavy cream 4 ounces soft goat cheese
1. Set the oven at 400 degrees. Butter a 9-inch springform pan. If your pan is aluminum, line the bottom and sides with parchment paper, cut to fit the pan and pressed into it. Butter the paper. If your pan is nonstick, butter it (you don't need to line it with parchment).
2. Place the potatoes in a large saucepan, cover with 1 inch of cold water, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover the pan, and simmer for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a skewer. Drain into a colander; cool to room temperature.
3. Place one or two potatoes in the springform pan; with a flat bottom measuring cup or your hands, gently smash and press the potatoes firmly into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of the pan. Continue smashing until all the potatoes are in the pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Bake the potato crust for 20 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, bring another saucepan of salted water to a boil. Have on hand a bowl of ice water. Add the asparagus to the boiling water. Cook for 3 minutes, or until the asparagus are tender but still bright green. With a slotted spoon, transfer the asparagus to the ice water. When they are cold, drain into a sieve.
5. In a skillet over medium-high heat, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 2 to 3 minutes or until softened and beginning to brown. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the spinach to the pan, and cook, carefully turning the leaves, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until completely wilted. Remove from the heat.
6. In a bowl, whisk the eggs, chives, parsley, heavy cream, and a generous pinch each of salt and pepper.
7. Crumble half of the goat cheese and place it on the potatoes. Add the asparagus and spread it in a single layer. Top with the spinach mixture. Crumble the remaining goat cheese over the spinach. Pour the egg mixture into the pan.
8. Transfer to the bottom rack of the oven. Bake for 25 minutes. Move the pan to the top rack of the oven. Continue baking for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned and the eggs are set; the internal temperature of the quiche will be 160 degrees in the center. (Total baking time is 35 to 40 minutes.)
9. Set the pan on a wire rack to cool slightly. Unlatch the ring from the springform pan. While it's still warm, serve the quiche cut into wedges. Karoline Boehm Goodnick