Hearty Italian Fettuccine Picnic Quiche

If you’re looking for a hearty, filling quiche, try this Italian-style fettuccine filled quiche. This one is stuffed with sausage, vegetables, cheese, pasta, and will please diners even with the healthiest appetites. The flavor combinations are amazing, whether served hot or cold.

 

 

To make this quiche, you will need:

8 oz sausage
2 tbsp olive oil
1 zucchini
2 plum tomatoes
Pie crust for 1 9-inch pie
3 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
3 oz cooked fettucine
2 oz pesto sauce
4 eggs
2 cups half and half
Salt & pepper to taste

 

 

Put a big pot on the stove on high with about 6 quarts of water. Add a palm-full of salt to the water and let it sit there until it comes to a boil. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees as well. Put a pan on the stove and put on the heat to medium-high to let it pre-heat.

Slice the sausages. I’m using chicken sausage here, but you could just as easily use pork.

 

Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and throw in the sausages. Brown them for about 6 to 8 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes or so.

Meanwhile, peel the zucchini. Slice it lengthwise in half. Slice each half into 3 long wedges. Slice again cross-wise to create small, 1/2 inch triangles.

Wash and cut the plum tomatoes in half. Slice them into wedges.

 

Slice out the tomato core and seeds. This part carries a lot of moisture, and will make your quiche soggy so you want to get rid of it.

After you remove the seeds you can chop the tomato as you did the zucchini.

 

Once brown, remove the sausage from the pan. Put the pan back on the heat and add the remainder of the olive oil. In the mixture of olive oil and sausage fat, throw in the zucchini and the tomatoes. Stir them frequently, cooking them for 3 to 4 minutes.

 

Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix the veggies in a bowl with the sausages.

 

Line your pie plate with pie crust; you can use a home-made crust, or purchase a ready-made crust in the dairy case and roll it out into your pan.

 

Pour the meat and vegetables into the pie crust and spread them out evenly.

 

Sprinkle about 1 1/2 ounces of the shredded cheese over the mixture.

When the water comes to a rolling boil, add the fettuccine. Stirring occasionally, allow it to cook for about 10 minutes.

You don’t want the pasta to overcook; remember it’s still going into an oven. Take it out while it’s still firm.  Mix it with the pesto sauce.

I’m using an artichoke lemon pesto; you can use a sun-dried tomato pesto or a reguar basil pesto– bring whatever flavors you like into it. Mix it well and add the pasta to the quiche. Spread it out evenly.

Crack your four eggs into a bowl and add the half and half.

Whisk the milk and eggs until well blended and slightly frothy.

 

Pour it slowly and evenly over the quiche filling, up until almost the top.

 

 

Make sure all the fettuccine is under the custard; you don’t want any sticking out. Sprinkle the remainder of the cheese over the mixture.

 

Slip it into the oven and let it cook for 35 to 45 minutes, until golden-brown and the filling is set in the center. If the crusts or the top are getting too brown while it’s cooking, cover the edges with a pie crust shield or aluminum foil.

When it’s done remove it from the oven.

 

Allow it to cool at room temperature. If you like you can bring it to your picnic to serve it warm, or you can put it in the fridge overnight and bring it chilled.

Take a slice, and you can see the layers of pasta, veggies, sausage and crust, all held together by that gooey cheese and creamy, rich custard.

 

This quiche goes great with a salad and vinaigrette dressing and a nice, crusty bread.