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On these hot summer days, here’s a quiche dish that can be served cold – Project Angel Food’s Crustless Florentine Tart. This dish is meatless and light and has its origins in France.

“Wait a second, isn’t Florence in Italy?” Why, yes it is. Here’s your culinary history lesson of the day, courtesy ofcuriouscusiniere.com. Catherine de Médici was born in Florence, and she married the heir to the throne of France, Henry, and eventually became queen. Yay. As it turns out, he loved his mistress more than her, but she loved her spinach (which up until that point was very rare in France). So, Catherine brought her cooks and spinach seeds from Florence and voilà!  Spinach was all the rage, and anything made with spinach become known as Florentine.

Revenge is a dish better served cold and so is this quiche.

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Serves 4

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Prep time:           20 minutes

Cook Time:         35 to 40 minutes

Ingredients:

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10 oz                     Frozen chopped spinach.

1 Clove                  Garlic (minced)

2 Cups                   Egg Whites

1                             Egg, slightly beaten

3 tbsp                    Parmesan cheese, grated

½ tsp                     Mace* (you can substitute nutmeg if you don’t have mace)

½ tsp                     Seasoning Salt

½ Cup                    Ricotta cheese: part skim

2 tbsp                    Pine nuts (optional)

1 ½ tsp                  Olive oil

A light Coat          Cooking Spray

Instructions

1.      Preheat oven to 325.

2.      Cook the spinach until tender. Cool and drain well; squeeze dry to remove excess liquid.

3.      Combine spinach, egg, egg whites, Parmesan, Ricotta and spices.

4.      Spray a glass or ceramic pie dish with cooking spray, then spread a thin film of olive oil evenly around the pan.

5.      Spread the egg mixture evenly around the pan and top with pine nuts if so desired.

6.      Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until center doesn't juggle.

7.      Cool on a rack and refrigerate until ready to serve.

8.      Serve cold with steamed carrots and olive oil and herb roasted fingerling potatoes (vegetables can be served hot or cold to taste.

* Mace and nutmeg are related. Nutmeg is a seed and mace is the protective coating of the seed that’s a little less sweet and more delicate in flavor.

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