Leek & Egg Casserole
Leeks have a lovely mild onion flavor that's truly elegant. I love to serve this dish for brunch or as a buffet dish. By using low fat or full fat milk, you can make this super-rich or lower cal and still yummy. And by the way, this is great for lunch leftovers since it's as good cold as it is hot.
1 1/2 tablespoons Milanese Gremolata, Dill or Basil Olive Oil
6 leeks, cleaned, halved lengthwise and sliced*
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
5 eggs or 1 cup egg substitute
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup low fat or whole milk
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (if possible)
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil or spray a pie pan with cooking spray.
In a large non-stick skillet or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the leeks and 3 tablespoons water and cook, covered, until tender, about 12-15 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook until the water has evaporated, about 3 minutes longer. Place the leeks in the pie pan and sprinkle with the Parmesan.
In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, ricotta, milk, mustard, pepper, salt, nutmeg and crushed red pepper flakes; pour over the leeks. Place pan on a pizza pan or baking sheet in case it overflows. Bake until the top is golden and puffed and the egg mixture is set, 35-40 minutes. Cool slightly before cutting into wedges.
* Leeks harbor a lot of sand so rinse, rinse, rinse. I place them in a large bowl of cold water, swish them around, and lift them out with my cupped fingers. I sometimes replace 2 of the leeks with sweet onion.