Zucchini Ribbon Quiche with Roasted Grape Tomatoes

• 1 1/2 - 2 medium zucchini, about 2 inches in diameter
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• ½ tsp thyme leaves, chopped.
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 4 beaten eggs
• 2 cups milk
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ cups ricotta cheese, well drained (see headnote above, but store-bought is also fine)
• zest from ½ a lemon
• 2 Tbsp chopped basil
• 3 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese
• 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Slice zucchini lengthwise into thin strips. Your ribbons don’t have to be perfect for this, I cut mine with just a chef’s knife. You can also use a mandoline or a vegetable peeler.

Heat olive oil on medium high heat. Add diced onion, thyme, a pinch of pepper, and two big pinches of salt. Cook until onions are translucent, soft, and slightly browned. Add garlic and sauté briefly. Take off heat and cool.

Mix together eggs, milk, 1 tsp of salt, and flour. Add cooled onions. Mix and set aside.
Mix together ricotta, basil, salt, and parmesan. Taste and add more salt, pepper, lemon zest, or parmesan to taste.

Drop 1 Tbsp of olive oil into a 9 inch round baking pan and coat the pan. Then, use excess oil to coat slices of zucchini as you line the outer rim. You can use thicker and longer slices of zucchini or layer thin slices. Add egg mixture. Then, drop spoonfuls of ricotta mixture into the egg mixture. Finally, weave remaining zucchini slices through the egg mixture in swirly patterns. Tuck some in at different angles so when you slice the quiche, you get some layered throughout. You might not need all of the zucchini, depending on how big they were. Sprinkle a little chopped basil and parmesan on top.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30--40 minutes until egg is set. The quiche shouldn’t be sloshy, just slightly wiggly. Cool quiche for at least 10 minutes.

When quiche has about 10 minutes of cooking time left, toss tomatoes with oil and a generous sprinkling of salt. Bake 10-15 minutes while quiche is baking and cooling.

Serve a slice of quiche with roasted tomatoes, some freshly cut basil and a sprinkling of parmesan.

Serves 6.

VERDICT:  Urgh.  There were problems with this one.  I scrambled some of the eggs by putting too-hot onions in the egg mixture.  I tried to make it in a springform pan, which resulted in egg leaking all over the floor, counter, and cabinets.  When I relocated it to a regular cake pan, it overflowed in the oven (handily, I was noticing a pattern and had put a sheet pan under it to bake).  And then it didn't cook.  Ever.  Or rather, the fact that the eggs were done was masked by liquid from the raw zucchini floating up to the top.  We didn't eat until 8:30, and then it was a soggy mess.  Toss and pretend it never happened.