Broccoli Carbonara Quiche

The Broccoli Carbonara Quiche is a fanciful variation that merges the classic French dish with the authentic flavor of Italian Carbonara. Here’s how you could prepare this tasty dish.

Ingredients

• 1 roll of shortcrust pastry (or puff pastry, if preferred)
• 300 g of broccoli
• 150 g of pancetta or guanciale
• 3 large eggs
• 100 g of grated Pecorino Romano
• 100 ml of fresh cream (optional, not present in the traditional Carbonara)
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Nutmeg (optional)
• Extra virgin olive oil

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
2. Roll out the shortcrust pastry in a quiche dish, pricking the bottom with a fork, then blind bake (i.e., without filling) for about 10 minutes.
3. In the meantime, clean the broccoli and separate them into small florets. Blanche them in slightly salted water for a few minutes until they are al dente, then drain.
4. Dice the pancetta or guanciale and sauté in a pan with a drizzle of olive oil until it becomes crispy.
5. In a bowl, beat the eggs with the grated pecorino, add a grating of nutmeg if you like, and if you have chosen to use the cream, incorporate it at this step.
6. Add the broccoli and guanciale to the beaten eggs and season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Pour the mixture into the pre-baked shortcrust base and bake the quiche again for about 20-30 minutes, or until the surface is golden and the filling is set.
8. Leave to cool slightly before serving.

Curiosity

The quiche is a savory pie originating from France, but with this recipe, we’ve created a meeting point between French and Italian cuisine. The Carbonara, a magnificent dish from Rome, typically involves the use of guanciale and Pecorino Romano, and here they are skillfully combined with broccoli for a green and tasty version of this specialty.