Mini red pepper and asparagus quiche on a plate with cup of tea and decorative mini house in the background
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Recipe for Bite Size Quiche

Grilled red pepper and asparagus mini quiche on little plate with cup of te and decorative mini house in the background
Fancy red pepper and asparagus mini quiche © TeaRoomDesign
Mini quiche on red and black checkered napkin with cup of tea and Christmas house.

We love this recipe for bite size quiche because it is so easy to make. These mini quiche can be made two or three days in advance and will freeze well. They are straightforward to make and yet, look so sophisticated on your afternoon or high tea table.

There are so many options of what to include in the filling – our favorite is asparagus, red bell pepper and mozzarella, but other lovely versions are made with pumpkin, spinach and feta cheese, tomato and cheese and field mushrooms and cheese for a decadent bite and of course the traditional quiche Lorraine with bacon, onion and cheese.

This mini quiche recipe is so versatile. The recipe for bite size quiche is for 12 mini quiches, but you can multiply that by 2 and make 24. Then you can mix and match the fillings so you have a variety of options for your guests. How easy is that!

Serve these at your next Afternoon Tea Party or Christmas Tea Party. Your guests will be sure to be impressed.

Bite sized quiche on a platter for Christmas Tea Party

History of Quiche:

The dish we know today as quiche can be traced back to medieval Germany, where it was originally known as a kuchen. The kuchen was a type of savory pie that was typically filled with cheese, eggs, herbs, and bacon or pork.

Over time, the dish made its way to France, where it became known as quiche Lorraine. This version of quiche was made with a custard-like filling that consisted of eggs, milk or cream, and seasonings such as salt, pepper, nutmeg, and sometimes onion and bacon. It was typically baked in a pastry crust and served hot or cold.

How do you know when mini quiche is done

There are a few ways to tell that mini quiche are done. One is when they start to brown on top, and another is when they no longer jiggle when you shake the pan. You can also insert a toothpick into the center of one and check to see if it comes out clean.

If you’re not sure whether they’re done or not, it’s always better to cook them for a little bit less than risk overcooking them. Mini quiche bites will continue cooking even after you take them out of the oven, so it’s best to take them out when they’re just a little underdone.

If you’re still not sure whether or not they’re done, remove one from the oven and cut into it. If it’s still a little runny in the center, put it back in for a few minutes. Overcooking mini quiche can make them dry and rubbery, so be careful not to cook them too long.

Can you make bite size quiche without a mini muffin pan?

I hate to say this, but not really. Of course, you can make regular muffin sized quiche and just make them a bit shallower, and this will work. But to get the mini muffin size you really do need the support of the sides of the mini muffin pan. Otherwise the phyllo dough or the shortcrust pastry dough will sag and the filling will spill out.

This is why we really do recommend investing in a silicone mini muffin pan. They are so versatile and you can use them for so many afternoon tea recipes.

How to make phyllo or filo dough from scratch

Phyllo dough is notoriously difficult to make. But not impossible! So if you don’t have any handy, you might try to make some on your own.

How to make phyllo or filo dough from scratch for your bite size quiche
Yield: 12 of 2 inch diameter

Recipe for Bite Size Quiche

Recipe for Bite Size Quiche

5 Bite size quiche recipes - savory mini quiche in a crisp phyllo pastry that are perfect for afternoon tea.

Asparagus, red bell pepper and mozarella

Bacon, onion and gruyere cheese

Pumpkin, spinache and feta

Tomato and basil

Mushroom and cheese

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 sheets of phyllo pastry
  • 2 Tbsp butter, melted
  • 1 red pepper
  • 5 stalks of fresh green asparagus
  • 200ml (3/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp) cream
  • 3 eggs
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 125ml grated mozzarella cheese
  • Micro herbs or sprouts

Bacon and Onion quiche

  • 2 strips bacon
  • 1/2 large onion
  • handful of grated gruyere cheese (or mozzarella)

Pumpkin, spinach and feta

  • 1/2 cup small pumpkin squares
  • handful baby spinach leaves
  • 12 dice-sized pieces of feta

Tomato and Basil

  • 2 medium tomatoes
  • Fresh basil (about 2 small leaves per mini quiche)
  • Grated mozzarella cheese

Field mushroom and Cheese

  • 6 field mushrooms or brown mushrooms
  • Mozzarella cheese

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 180 º C/356 ºF.
  2. Roast the red pepper in the oven for around an hour until it is soft. Once cooled, peel the skin off the pepper and open it up to remove the seeds and white center. Cut the pepper into little slivers.
  3. Brush the first sheet of phyllo pastry with melted butter and layer a second sheet on top of it. Create a second set of 2 sheets buttered and join in the same way. Cut the phyllo sheets into squares around 7X7cm (2 1/2 - 3cm inches square). Using your remaining melted butter, layer the three squares together, overlapping them so that the edge of the one sheet lines up with the middle of the sheet under it. Place these layers into the greased muffin tins. Ensure the sides are high enough that the custard won’t spill over the edges.
  4. To prepare the asparagus, steam or poach them in water. They should remain bright green and firm. Cut them into
    small sections and set them aside. Make sure they are dry.
  5. To make the savory custard, whisk together the cream, 2 yolks, and 1 whole egg with the salt and pepper.
  6. Fill the phyllo ‘cups’ with a bit of red pepper and asparagus, and then pour in the savory custard. Top each one with a bit of mozzarella cheese.
  7. Bake these for around 15-20 minutes or until you can see the egg mix has puffed up slightly.
  8. Just before serving these, flash them in the oven under the grill for a minute or so to warm them and give the cheese a golden glow.
  9. Serve with a sprinkle of micro-herbs
    or sprouts.

  10. Bacon and onion (quiche Lorraine): Finely chop bacon and onion and fry until bacon is cooked and onion is softened. Place toppings in phyllo dough holes and top with egg mixture and cheese.
  11. Pumpkin, spinach and feta: Chop up pumpkin so you get 24 little 1 1/2 cm squares. Cover lightly with olive oil and bake until soft (about 7 minutes in my oven). Place 2 in each phyllo cup, top with a couple spinach leaves and egg mixture, then top with a square of feta.
  12. Tomato and basil: Chop up tomatoes and place in bottom or phyllo cup, top with a couple of basil leaves and egg mixture. Then sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top.
  13. Mushroom and cheese: Slice mushrooms thinly and fry in butter until just cooked (do not brown them). Place in phyllo cup, top with egg mixture and top with cheese.

Notes

  • You can also make these with shortcrust pastry. Just cut out rounds a little bit bigger than your mini muffin pan. No need to pre-bake. But the phyllo dough version is prettier and more elegant.
  • If you don't have much time, you can cheat and not roast the red bell pepper. Simply stir fry little slices until softened and then slice even finer, but it will taste better if you roast it.

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