Chilaquiles Quiche

Chilaquiles is a Mexican breakfast dish designed to use leftover tortillas – similar in function to french toast, but drastically different in flavor! In the traditional dish, tortillas are cut into pieces, lightly sautéed in oil, simmered in salsa, then served with any combination of cheese, eggs, and meat. For our version, we’ll use tortilla chips, and the final product is more of a casserole than a quick stovetop fry-up. In my house, we eat chilaquiles quiche for brunch, lunch, and dinner!

Prep time: 1 hour (20-30 minutes of active prep)
Serves: Makes 6-8 servings.

INGREDIENTS
5 eggs
3/4 cup of milk
1/2 cup of plain yogurt (you can also use sour cream)
6oz crushed tortilla chips (1/2 of Shagbark bag)
2 tablespoons salsa
4 cups fresh spinach
1/2 cup spring onions, chopped
1/2 cup of shredded cheese (optional)
1 pound ground pork (optional)
1/4 cup diced chorizo charcuterie (also optional)
1/2 cup of cooked black beans or refried beans (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Additional spices (pepper, cumin, oregano, etc) as desired

Note on veggies: we’re using spinach in this version, but this recipe is fantastic to use up any veggies you have kicking around the fridge or pantry. I’ve used potatoes, sweet potatoes, peppers, mushrooms, onions, winter squash – you name it. Anything but lettuce will work! Just be sure to cut the veggie into small pieces and sauté them until fully cooked, then drain off any excess liquid before putting into the quiche. This is ESPECIALLY important for leafy greens, squash, or peppers, which contain a lot of water. You don’t want that water to be released into your quiche in the oven, so be sure to fully cook and drain the veggies first! Drain off and squeeze out as much water as you can for best results.

PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 425.
Wash, chop and sauté spinach until water has been released (about 3 minutes). Drain well and press out as much water as possible (can be done in a colander). Set aside. [If using other veggies, prepare them as well.]
In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk, plain yogurt, and salt and any spices desired until smooth and fully mixed. Add 1/2 of shredded cheese, if using.
Crush tortilla chips until no piece is larger than a quarter. Add to egg mixture and mix well.
If using meat, brown pork and drain off any excess fat.
Add sautéed spinach or other vegetables to tortilla chip and egg mixture. Mix well.
Assembly: Grease a large casserole dish. Pour half of tortilla chip mixture into the dish. If desired, browned meat, Cooked and fully drained beans, or both may be added on top of this layer, then covered with the remaining tortilla chip and egg mixture. If using chorizo, add diced charcuterie on top. Top with salsa. Cover with the remaining shredded cheese.
Put in the oven and cook for 30-35 minutes, or until a knife comes out of the center clean.
While cooking, chop spring onions to garnish the top.
Allow quiche to cool for 10 minutes and garnish with spring onions.
Enjoy your quiche, by itself or with a little hot sauce!

Variation: for an easy brunch dish, make the tortilla chip and egg mixture the night before, and allow it to rest in the fridge until you’re ready to cook. Then, just add any cooked and drained veggies you’re using, and layer into the casserole dish with any add-ins you’re using (ground pork, charcuterie, beans, etc). Letting the egg and tortilla mix sit overnight allows the eggs and milk to soak through the tortilla chips better and results in a more tender and delicious quiche!