Radical mistakes in the kitchen can often lead to happy accidents.
Pie A – Sliced and served.
We were making quiche for supper the other night, one of those “what have I got in the kitchen” nights. I had dough and roasted garlic in the freezer, shredded cheddar and pepperoni in the fridge, a well-heeled spice cabinet, and plenty of eggs. Christopher picked up cream on the way home from work, and we were set to create pepperoni pizza flavored quiche.
The dry spices (powdered garlic and onion, basil and oregano) were in two bowls, the eggs were out and the cream was ready. I popped the still quite frozen dough into the microwave to thaw a bit. When I removed and opened it, I discovered that I had made a huge mistake. It was not pastry dough, but filo, and it was already thawed and opened.
Right, I thought. Brazenly forward!
Using spray olive oil, I forged ahead, laying out the layers of filo as if for a pie. I tamped them down slightly to remove some of the air and give a little more space for the egg mixture.
While this was going on, Christopher was manfully whipping the spices, eggs and cream into a lovely frothy state.
Pie B – Loaded with roasted garlic and pepperoni.
Roasted garlic was sliced and sprinkled about in the bottoms of the filo shells, followed by quartered slices of pepperoni. The liquid was poured gently into the shells. Rather than leave the corners of the filo poking up where they were likely to burn, they were liberally spritzed with olive oil and folded over.
Pie B – Awaiting cheese.
“Wait!” you exclaim. “What about the cheese?”
Funny, Christopher said the same thing.
The smaller shell had already had the corners folded down, so the cheese went liberally on top. The larger shell actually got cheesed before the corners were folded. I guess we shall see which one came out better?
Pie A – Filo corners folded in. Forgot the cheese!
Pie A – Cheese added on top of folded filo.
Pie B – Cheese added, awaiting folding of corners.
Pie B – Filo corners folded.
Keep in mind that in using the filo, the shell will be subject to eggy leaks into the pie dish in a few places. Fortunately the dishes were also sprayed with olive oil at the start, so I hoped nothing would stick or brown too badly.
Half an hour later, we realized the results of our mad dash in the kitchen for ingredients.
Pie A – Fresh out of the oven.
The filo toasted up beautifully. The pies cut well, the pepperoni giving the knife a little trouble, but not so much that anything tore. I didn’t need to worry about sticking – between the olive oil spray and the properties of filo, the slices slide right out of the dish!
Pie B – Fresh out of the oven. Noticeable difference in visual appeal.
Then came the moment of truth, tasting. I was amazed. The spices and other ingredients came together beautifully. Rather than tasting like eggs, the entire dish tasted like a pepperoni pizza on a gourmet crust!
I recommend trying sun-dried tomatoes if you want that tomato zing in place of sauce, or a drizzle of pizza or spaghetti sauce just before serving. Adding it to the pie could cause there to be too much liquid for the crust.
Black olives, anchovies, fresh spinach, or any other ingredients that you typically use on a pizza may be added or substituted. The shells may also be used for the traditional Lorraine quiche, as well. Just be wary of how much you load on – the shell will only hold so much goodness!
Pie B – Sliced and served!
I’m quite pleased with this happy accident!
— Ann Cathey
thewanderingtexans 