Delicious Homemade Bolognese Quiche: A Savory Italian Pie Recipe
Bolognese is typically known as a rich tomato meat sauce, most often served generously over a plate of spaghetti. But what if we told you this beloved Italian staple could transform into a wonderfully savory quiche? Prepare to be delighted!
Imagine a vibrant Italian buffet, brimming with classic flavors and enticing aromas. While a traditional Bolognese sauce might seem an obvious choice, today we’re taking it in an exciting new direction: a delectable Bolognese quiche. This isn’t just any quiche; it’s an adaptation of a brilliant idea, inspired by a recipe from AH.nl (known as “quiche bolognese”). However, our version elevates the concept by ditching the instant mix packets – because, honestly, who truly enjoys cooking with those? We believe in the power of homemade, and trust us, a little extra effort (about 20 minutes) will reward you with a rich, subtly sweet, and incredibly flavorful tomato sauce that you’ll never want to replace with a store-bought packet again.
This savory pie offers a comforting blend of familiar flavors in an unexpected and delightful format. The hearty Bolognese base, combined with a creamy egg custard and a flaky crust, creates a dish that’s perfect for brunch, lunch, or a light dinner. It’s also an excellent way to repurpose leftover Bolognese, transforming it into something entirely new and exciting. Let’s dive into the secrets of making this extraordinary Italian quiche from scratch.
Keys to a Perfect Bolognese Quiche: Expert Tips
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Choose the Right Tomatoes for a Robust Sauce:
While fresh, ripe tomatoes are undeniably wonderful when in season, their quality can fluctuate dramatically throughout the year. Out-of-season fresh tomatoes often taste watery and lack the intense flavor needed for a truly rich Bolognese. To ensure consistent, deep tomato flavor in your sauce, we highly recommend using high-quality canned tomatoes. Options like whole peeled tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, or sieved tomatoes provide a robust and reliable base, guaranteeing your quiche will have that authentic, delicious tomato taste no matter the time of year.
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Unlock Sweetness by Frying Tomato Paste:
Ever smelled raw tomato paste? It often has a distinctively sour aroma, and that taste can carry through to your finished sauce if not properly handled. The magic happens when you briefly fry the tomato paste in a skillet before adding other liquids. Just two to three minutes over low heat will transform its sharp, acidic notes into a rich, sweet, and concentrated flavor. This simple step, known as caramelization, deepens the overall complexity of your Bolognese sauce, making it an indispensable part of this quiche recipe.
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A Touch of Sugar Makes All the Difference:
Tomatoes naturally possess a subtle sweetness. By adding a small amount of sugar to your Bolognese sauce, you don’t make it sugary; instead, you enhance and amplify the tomatoes’ inherent sweet undertones, balancing their acidity beautifully. This trick is similar to how a pinch of sugar can make fresh carrots taste incredibly sweeter when cooked. It’s about bringing out the best in your ingredients and creating a well-rounded, harmonious flavor profile for your Italian quiche.
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The Ideal Crust: Savory Pie Dough vs. Puff Pastry:
For this Bolognese quiche, we strongly advise against using puff pastry. While delicious in its own right, puff pastry’s light, airy, and very buttery texture doesn’t complement the hearty, rich nature of Bolognese sauce as well as savory pie dough does. Savory pie dough provides a more substantial, slightly crumbly, and less greasy base that holds up perfectly to the moist filling. Furthermore, opting for savory pie dough means fewer unnecessary extra calories, allowing the flavors of the filling to truly shine.
Make-Ahead & Freeze for Ultimate Convenience
One of the fantastic aspects of this Bolognese quiche recipe is its versatility and make-ahead potential. Whether you’re planning a party, preparing for a busy week, or simply want to have delicious, homemade meals ready to go, this quiche is an excellent choice for batch cooking and freezing. Here’s how to best prepare and store your quiches:
Preparation: Up to 2 Weeks Ahead
- Prepare your Bolognese quiches according to the recipe instructions, but only bake them for an initial 15 minutes. This par-baking sets the crust and partially cooks the filling, making them freezer-ready.
- Allow the quiches to cool completely to room temperature. This is a crucial step to prevent condensation and ice crystal formation in the freezer, which can affect texture.
- Once cooled, carefully place the quiches in freezer bags. If stacking multiple quiches, place a sheet of baking paper between each to prevent them from sticking together.
- Freeze the quiches. They can be stored for up to 2 weeks, maintaining their quality and flavor.
Preparation: The Day of Serving
When you’re ready to enjoy your frozen Bolognese quiches, there’s no need to thaw them beforehand, making them incredibly convenient for spontaneous meals or quick buffet additions:
- Preheat your oven to the temperature specified in the recipe.
- Place the frozen quiches directly into the preheated oven.
- Bake for an additional 20-25 minutes, or until they are golden brown, heated through, and the filling is set.
- Serve immediately and enjoy the fresh-baked taste and convenience!
It’s a good taste!
Recipe: The Ultimate Bolognese Quiche
This homemade Bolognese quiche recipe brings together the best of Italian flavors with the comforting charm of a classic savory pie. It’s a hearty, flavorful dish that will impress your family and friends, whether served at a casual gathering or as a standout item at an Italian-themed buffet. The secret lies in our rich, slow-simmered Bolognese sauce, perfected with a few simple tricks that make all the difference. Get ready to bake a quiche that’s bursting with flavor and made with love!
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Need more inspiration?
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📖 Recipe
RECIPE CARD
Andréa
Pin Recipe
Equipment
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A conventional oven is used. When using a convection oven (with air fan) decrease the temperature with 30 °F / 20 °C
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10 baking forms or 1 big quiche form
Ingredients
Bolognese sauce
- 2 cloves garlic
- 300 grams minced beef
- 15 grams herbs, thyme, rosemary, basil
- 1 bay leaf
- 60 grams tomato paste
- 400 grams sieved tomatoes
- 400 grams peeled tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
Bolognese quiches
- 10 sheets savory pie dough
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 100 grams cherry tomatoes , roma
- 350 ml milk
- 3 eggs, size L
- 100 grams cheese , grated
All my recipes are written both in Metric (gram / ml) and US Customary (cups / pounds). Here you can select which type of amount you would like to see.
Instructions
Bolognese sauce
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Finely chop the onion.
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Mince or press the garlic.
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In a large skillet, add a dash of olive oil and heat over medium-low heat.
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Add the chopped onion to the skillet and sauté until softened and translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
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Add the minced garlic and fry for another 2 minutes until fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside.
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In a separate frying pan or the same skillet (after emptying), add the tomato paste.
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Place the frying pan over low heat.
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Stir the tomato paste constantly with a spoon and fry for about 3 minutes. The strong, sour smell should transform into a sweet, rich aroma, indicating it’s properly cooked.
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Remove the pan from the heat and combine the fried tomato paste with the sautéed onion and garlic.
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In the same large skillet (or a clean one if preferred), add a bit more olive oil.
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Add the minced beef and brown it, breaking it up with a spoon or ladle until no pink remains.
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Season the browned minced meat with the herbs (thyme, rosemary, basil), salt, and pepper to taste.
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Once the minced meat is fully cooked, add the combined tomato paste/onion/garlic mixture, along with the peeled tomatoes and sieved tomatoes to the skillet. Stir well to combine.
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Add the bay leaf on top of the sauce.
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Cover the pan with a lid and let the Bolognese sauce simmer gently for at least 20 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.
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Stir occasionally to prevent sticking and ensure even cooking. Remove the bay leaf before using the sauce in the quiche.
Bolognese quiches
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Preheat your oven to 220 degrees Celsius (approximately 425 degrees Fahrenheit, or 405°F / 205°C for convection oven).
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Carefully line your 10 individual baking forms (or one large quiche form) with the savory pie dough. Trim any excess dough. Place the lined forms on a baking sheet.
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Distribute the cherry tomatoes evenly across the bottom of each quiche crust.
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In a large bowl, combine the prepared Bolognese sauce with the milk, beaten eggs, and grated cheese. Stir until well mixed.
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Spoon the Bolognese mixture evenly into each prepared pie dough-lined form.
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Place the quiches in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is set and lightly puffed. For frozen quiches, follow the instructions in the “Preparation: The Day of Serving” section.
Nutrition
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We hope you thoroughly enjoy making and sharing this delightful Bolognese Quiche. It’s a testament to how classic flavors can be reinvented into something truly special. This savory pie is not just a meal; it’s an experience, bringing warmth, comfort, and the taste of homemade goodness to your table. Happy cooking!