It’s All About Attitude – Mushroom and Brie Quiche

Earthy mushrooms and tender onions contrast luscious strips of creamy cheese in the filling for this Mushroom and Brie Quiche. Baked in a homemade pie crust it makes an impressive entree for brunch or dinner.

A whole Mushroom and Brie Quiche in a pie dish.
Mushroom and Brie Quiche is baked in an Nearly Foolproof Pie Shell.

A Pi Day Challenge

Pi Day is here, 3.14, and I am still chasing this week’s challenge from Kitchen Parade to make a homemade pie crust. I did make an Upside Down Lemon Meringue Pie earlier this week, with a crunchy meringue pie crust. It was homemade, and it tasted good, but it wasn’t pastry. That could be seen as a good thing. It saves on calories and grams of fat but, I have to admit, I would like to know how to make a good pie pastry.

I have wonderful memories of helping Aunt Hen make pie pastry when I was a girl. Standing at her small kitchen table, I watched her roll out what I remember to be perfect circles of dough and cutting frilly strips of lattice topping. I helped out here and there – getting a tool, turning on the oven, rolling out a small piece of my own dough, eating the scrap pieces baked just for me. I loved the smell and the flaky texture warm from the oven.

But somehow, in the intervening years, we lost the magic. When I got married and hosted a family Thanksgiving at my apartment, I asked my aunt to remind me how to make pie crust. She suggested I buy it readymade from the grocery store instead. She confessed that was what she would usually do. On her advice, I’ve done it that way ever since.

Still, I do have those fond memories of making pie crust and I wanted to give this challenge a try. I began to look for a good recipe. I collected several and then, last Friday, I collected the necessary ingredients and equipment and got busy.

Pie crust disaster 1.1

First, I decided to try the basic pie crust recipe from Betty Crocker’s Cookbook. I have had that cookbook for over twenty-five years and I’m sure I must have tried this recipe before.

You wouldn’t know it. Not that making the dough went all that badly but as I was baking the pastry shell it shrank. Then I forgot about it and it burned.

Just as I discovered my pastry shell was burning, I also realized I was running late for an appointment. I took the burned crust from the pie plate and put the pie plate in the sink. When it touched water it shattered. Not an auspicious beginning.

Pie crust disaster 1.2

Next I tried the Foolproof Pie Dough recipe from Cooks’ Illustrated. Robert, a friend of my husband’s, recommended it. This recipe calls for vodka and I was intrigued. I tried mixing it by hand. This seemed to work well enough. My mistake was that I tried to bake it as a pie shell for a Lemon Meringue Pie. I did not use pie weights and it did not bake evenly. While the baked crust tasted okay I realized I needed more instructions on how to prepare a baked pie shell. I also realized I needed to give up for the day.

Pie crust disaster 1.3

Meanwhile I was making a meringue crust as a back up for the Lemon Meringue Pie. The recipe I was using did not specify how to prepare the pan and so I didn’t. When the meringue was baked it was absolutely impossible to remove it from the pan without destroying it.

Needless to say, Friday was not my day for making pies. Still I was determined. Saturday I got up and tried again.

Pie crust disaster 2.1

The Foolproof Pie Dough recipe had been the most successful on Friday so I began with it on Saturday morning. This time I decided to follow the instructions exactly. Unfortunately, while my food processor holds all of the ingredients it seems it is not big enough to mix them properly. The pie dough became overworked and I gave up without baking it. I was discouraged.

I decided to let the issue rest and simply made another meringue crust for my Lemon Meringue Pie. This time I greased the pie plate and tweaked the recipe a little and it turned out great. I wrote about it and posted it…but those pie pastry disasters kept nagging at me. Surely, as much as I bake, I could manage to make a respectable enough pie crust….Couldn’t I?

Mushrooms in the bottom of a pie pastry to make Mushroom and Brie Quiche.
Nearly Foolproof Pie Pastry is topped with brie and sautéed to make a Mushroom and Brie Quiche.

Pie crust 3.1

Then I read a post at Cupcake Project. Stef added 18 Tablespoons of water to her pie crust and it was still delicious! That gave me hope. Maybe I was being too hard on myself. If I just kept going the pie crusts I made might not have been perfect but might have turned out just fine. Maybe pie pastry isn’t just about attention to detail but is about attitude too. It was worth at least one more shot.

As dinner time approached I turned on my Pi Day playlist. I measured the flour and salt and whisked the ingredients together. I cut in the butter and cold shortening until the mixture looked like coarse meal with small pea sized pebbles in it. Next, I sprinkled in the vodka and water, tossed it with a fork, pressed it with my palm and was amazed to see it stick together. I put it in the refrigerator for a while. Then kneaded it two or three times and rolled it out on my Silpat baking mat. It was lovely.

At this point I put the Silpat with the rolled crust back in the refrigerator for maybe 10 minutes. Meanwhile I worked on the filling. Then I positioned the Silpat over the pie plate and peeled it away from the crust.

A Beautiful Mushroom and Brie Quiche

I gently fit the crust into the pie plate and fluted the edge. So far so good! It is amazing what a little confidence and encouragement from the food blog world can do! After my parade of disasters I was actually making a decent pie crust.

All I needed now was a special pie filling. I settled on a Brie Quiche with onions and earthy mushrooms sautéed and layered over ribbons of mellow brie cheese. Over that I poured a velvety smooth egg and cream mixture sprinkled with sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and, of course, some leaves of fresh thyme. Soon I had a beautiful “It’s All About Attitude” Mushroom and Brie Quiche coming out of the oven.

That vodka pie crust was great. Very flaky. Thanks, Robert, for the recommendation. Thanks Kitchen Parade and Smitten Kitchen for great tips and how-tos that got me thinking in the right direction and walked me through it. And thanks Cupcake Project for inspiration.

It’s All About Attitude – Mushroom and Brie Quiche

Course: Breakfast, Main DishCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Medium
Servings

6

servings
Prep time

45

minutes
Cooking time

1

hour 
Total time

1

hour 

45

minutes

Earthy mushrooms contrast luscious strips of creamy brie in the filling for this delicious quiche baked in homemade pie pastry.

Ingredients

  • (Nearly) Foolproof Pie Dough
  • (enough for one single crust pie)

  • 1 1/4 cups flour

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch slices

  • 1/4 cup cold vegetable shortening, cut into 4 pieces

  • 1-2 tablespoons cold vodka

  • 1-2 tablespoons cold water

  • Mushroom and Brie Quiche Filling
  • 8 ounces brie cheese (rind removed)

  • 8 ounces fresh mushrooms

  • 2 Tablespoons finely chopped onions

  • 1 teaspoon olive oil

  • 4 eggs

  • 2 cups half-and-half

  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Directions

  • Nearly Foolproof Pie Dough:
  • Mix together flour and salt with a wire whisk. Cut in 6 tablespoons of cold butter with a pastry blender until butter pieces are the size of M&Ms. Add cold shortening pieces. Continue cutting with the pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse meal and the largest pieces are the size of small peas.
  • Mix vodka and water. Sprinkle approximately two tablespoons over mixture and toss with fork. Press a portion of the mixture against the side of the bowl with your palm. If the dough is not holding together add more liquid, a teaspoon or two at a time, testing after each addition.
  • Cover dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold. Place dough on a Silpat mat and roll out in a circle large enough to line the pie plate. Transfer pastry circle to pie plate. Trim and form edges as desired.
  • Mushroom and Brie Quiche Filling:
  • Line a 9-inch pie dish with (Nearly) Foolproof Pie Dough. Cut brie into 1/4 inch slices and arrange over the bottom of the unbaked pie shell.
  • Heat the olive oil in a skillet or saucepan, over medium heat. Saute mushrooms and onion in the oil until they begin to soften. Layer these over the brie.
  • Beat eggs slightly. Add half-and-half, salt, pepper and thyme, stirring until thoroughly combined. Pour the egg mixture into the shell over the onions, mushrooms and cheese.
  • Bake in a preheated oven at 425F for 15 minutes. Turn heat down to 300F and continue baking for another 30 minutes or until lightly browned on the top, or a knife inserted halfway between the center and edge of the pie comes out clean. Remove from oven. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

  • Recipe Source: The recipe for (Nearly) Foolproof Pie Dough is adapted from Cook’s Illustrated. The recipe for Mushroom and Brie Quiche is adapted from Betty Crocker’s Cookbook.
  • This Quiche can be partially prepared up to 24 hours in advance. After layering mushrooms and cheese in an unbaked pie shell, cover and refrigerate. Combine the remaining ingredients. Cover and refrigerate separately. When ready, stir the egg mixture before pouring it into the pie shell. Bake as directed, increasing the baking time at 300F to 45 minutes.

16 Comments

  1. Patrice Britt

    I would consider it a main dish for a breakfast or lunch, sometimes for dinner instead of pizza night.
    I would have as a side with most meat dishes if they were a veggie one, or with veggies if it was a meaty one.
    Try this Salmon quiche recipe i hope you will gain knowledge about cooking.

  2. tempered woman – Thanks! I thought the quiche was good, but then I was hungry after making all of those pie crusts…

    stef – Glad to share the warm and fuzzies! I find many of your posts inspiring. I love your humor. I’m glad you liked my quiche!

  3. Yay! I’m so glad it worked out in the end and I’m so glad I inspired you to keep trying. That makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. Congrats on your amazing creation!

  4. Tempered Woman

    Oh my gosh~ that pie looks so freakin good. I bsolutely LURVE mushrooms but then you had to go and add onions and brie!?!?
    Love the post and congrats on your pie crust! The inserted *nearly* had me totally falling off my chair laughing.

  5. well done for not giving up!!!!I once beat a kitchen towel into some cake batter, so join the club.

  6. Alanna – Thanks for the tenacity award. I’m either tenacious or crazy. I could definitely use a pastry lesson but I am doing better now. I even made an apple pie with another homemade crust yesterday.

    Lelo – Thanks. It seems vodka is an excellent staple for many uses.

    Ricki – Even 1.1? I know you can do it too! It seems the trick is practice, practice, practice…

    Thanks for stopping by!

    Elizabeth and Sarah -The vodka was really interesting and seems to work great.

    Diane – Crimping is the very most fun thing about pie…next to eating it, of course!

    MImi – This was the first time I have put brie in a quiche but it was fabulous with the mushrooms.

    MyKitchenInHalfCups and Shandy- I am obstinate, uh, I mean persistent, at times. I really wanted to make a pie pastry that was at least edible… In the end it turned out well. When the quiche was gone I made an apple pie that I have been nibbling on all day!

    Barbara – Thanks! I love quiche and this one was really tasty.

  7. You are amazing! You went through one problem after another and you STILL were determined! I can not believe that the broken pie dish and burnt crust didn’t push you over the edge. I have so much admiration and pride for all your hard work and the beautiful quiche with a perfect crust that you put together. After everything you went through, that is the most precious submission out all of the Pi entries! cdi

  8. Barbara Bakes

    Wow – I’m so impressed you kept at it until you got it right! Your final crust looks beautiful. I haven’t had a yummy quiche in a long time. Looks delicious!

  9. MyKitchenInHalfCups

    Once again Lisa you’ve shown, NEVER give up!
    Fun write up with this one.
    Love the look of those mushrooms!

  10. this looks really delish, and kudos for keeping at it! (i prolly would have given up once that dish broke!) i love savories, and mushroom and brie is a great combo.

  11. Your last crust is gorgeous! I love the crimps and the quiche looks fabulous too!

  12. What a yummy looking quiche! And now I see why you ran out of flour! 🙂 I’ve been experimenting with adding an acid (like vodka – I’ve used white vinegar as well as yogurt) to my pie crusts from my aunt’s suggestion (who is reknowned for her pies . . . ). I’ve found that it makes them flakier than those made with only water.

    I also love your Pi Day playlist – that is fantastic!

    Have a great day!
    Sarah

  13. What a cool idea to use vodka in the pastry. Glad it worked for you at last. And the quiche filling looks fantastic.

    So sorry to hear about the burned crust and the broken plate!

    -Elizabeth

  14. Both your disasters–1.1 and 1.2–look better than anything I’ve ever made! The final result is stupendous.

  15. I am so impressed with your determination to figure this pie crust thing out. The broken pie dish! I think I would have thrown in the towel right then and used the vodka in a Lemon Drop instead. The quiche looks delish: Happy Pi Day!

  16. Oh my! You get the ‘tenacity award’, for sure, Lis! When you cried ‘help’ earlier in the week, I had no idea what was really going on!

    PS When you’re here, we’ll do a pastry lesson. Just call me Aunt Hen with a recipe.

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