This artichoke and cheese quiche is made with phyllo pastry: in this way the quiche turns out lighter. Phyllo pastry is made mainly from flour and water, without yeast, and is rolled into very thin sheets. It is therefore perfect for a diet since, besides being very versatile, it has a very low caloric content. You can also use brik pastry in its place, which is often found in international food stores.
Quiche is the name given in France to a savoury pie prepared with various fillings mixed with eggs. However, quiches are generally high in calories because the crust is often shortcrust pastry, puff pastry or brisée, which are quite fatty, and because of the generous use of cured meats, butter and cheeses in the filling.
But by using phyllo pastry and light ingredients such as vegetables for the filling, you can prepare excellent quiches without overdoing the calories or Weight Watchers points. The result is still very appetizing as well as nutritious.
Some other artichoke recipes are here:
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4 Servings
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Healthy
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter and Spring
Ingredients
- 3.9 oz phyllo or brik pastry (read the note below)
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- 3 large artichokes (or 6 medium)
- 2 medium eggs
- 1 bunch parsley
- 2/3 cup skim milk
- 1 oz grated cheese (e.g., fontina, Dutch gouda or Emmental)
- 1 lemon
- to taste salt and pepper
- WW points per serving = 5 points
Preparation
Beat the eggs together with the milk, finely chopped parsley, a little salt and pepper, and set aside.
Clean the artichokes, cut them into thin wedges and immediately immerse them in cold water acidified with the juice of one lemon to prevent them from darkening. In a non-stick pan lightly sauté the garlic sliced with a teaspoon of oil. Add the well-drained artichokes, season with salt and let them absorb the flavors for a few minutes.
Add a little water when the artichokes begin to dry out and continue like this for 10–15 minutes until the artichokes are cooked. Let cool and in the meantime prepare the quiche base.
Phyllo pastry must be handled differently from richer doughs: once taken out of the package it tends to dry quickly and is usually brushed with butter before baking. To avoid too many calories, it also works very well to use just a small piece of melted butter or a little oil diluted with hot water. The effect is the same but the calories are greatly reduced.
So prepare a glass with one teaspoon of oil and add a little hot water to double the volume. Mix well with a pastry brush: this liquid will be used to moisten the phyllo pastry.
Lightly brush the bottom of a baking pan about 8 inches (20–21 cm) in diameter. Open the phyllo package and remove the first sheet. While working with the first sheet, cover the remaining phyllo with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out. If the sheet is large, cut it into 2–3 pieces and line the pan, pressing it well to adhere, without being too regular in placement, as in the photo.
Brush the surface of the phyllo just laid out with the oil and water mixture to the edges. Take a second sheet and repeat so as to cover the whole pan evenly, leaving a rim of phyllo pastry hanging out.
Remember that you need a total of 3.9 oz of phyllo pastry, regardless of the size of the sheets used.
Pour the cooled artichokes into the pan over the phyllo and then distribute the beaten egg mixture evenly. Finish with the grated cheese.
Crumple the edges of the phyllo with your fingers, folding them inward inside the pan, and finish by brushing the remaining oil-and-water mixture over the phyllo.
Bake at 356°F–374°F (180°C–190°C) for 25–30 minutes, then let rest out of the oven for at least 15 minutes. In fact, the artichoke and cheese quiche is even better when cold!
This quiche was really excellent, getting top marks even from the Dutch guest. Like the previous Leek and cheese quiche, this one stayed very crispy on the outside and moist and flavorful on the inside. Considering that half of this quiche is about 10 Weight Watchers points, paired with a salad it makes a great diet-friendly and filling meal.
Here is how the inside looks: would you believe it’s light?
So here is our artichoke and cheese quiche ready to serve at the table with a nice side of vegetables.
Or you can let it cool and eat it the next day, just as delicious! In fact, it’s also great as a packed meal, whether for the office or for a picnic! Shall we make it?
Enjoy your meal!
by Giovanna Buono
Notes
Note: phyllo pastry is sold in various sizes. In the photos you see the size I usually find of about 8 x 9.5 in (20 x 24 cm), but if you find a larger size it’s very easy to cut it into pieces more suitable for the use in this recipe.
