Caprese quiche with meatballs – This post was sponsored by Carando as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.
Growing up, dinnertime was my favorite time of the day. I always felt safe and secure surrounded by my family, and no matter what kind of day I’d had, it always became better when I was home with my family eating good food.
Not only were we eating our favorite meals but we’d be telling stories of the day and laughing at all the silly things that had happened. There were eight of us around that table so there was a lot to say!
One funny thing my siblings and I still laugh at is that my mother did not mess around with the dinner hour. It was six o’clock on the dot and by golly, that meant ON THE DOT.
I could hear my dad’s footsteps when he arrived home from work echoing along the long tile hallway and I knew the timer had started. The one thing he insisted on doing before dinner was removing his tie, but he had less than 5 minutes to do so before my mom would start hollering “Come to the table NOW.”
I always wondered what the big dang rush was, but since she’d spent her whole afternoon preparing a meal she hoped everyone would enjoy, I guess I understand why she’d want everyone to be there when it was fresh from the oven and at its best.
While I don’t carry on the six o’clock dinner requirement, I’ve continued many of the same childhood traditions and recipes with my own family, the most important one being that we enjoy mealtime together at the table… for things like this Caprese quiche with meatballs.
To make the Caprese quiche recipe, I started with Carando meatballs. I chose the Sicilian recipe which has the kick of red pepper, cuz I love a little zest in pretty much everything.
I found them at Food Lion in the meat department. They’re really easy to spot because Food Lion has everything so neat and organized all the time.
One of my other favorite things about Food Lion is that checkout is quick and easy. I very rarely have to wait more than a few minutes to pay for my groceries, and cashiers are quick to open up another lane when it starts to get busy. I appreciate that they value a customer’s time!
I baked them according to package directions and may or may not have snuck a meatball or two when they were fresh from the oven. Believe me, Carando has earned its top-notch reputation as one of the world’s finest purveyors of Italian deli meats.
Carando’s passion for handcrafting the finest Italian meats began nearly a century ago along the cobblestone streets of Torino, Italy, where founder Peter Carrando served as a butcher shop apprentice and developed his passion for the authentic Italian sausage-making tradition.
He brought those same recipes with him when he set sail for America, and to this day, Carando holds fast to those original recipes and the old world craftsmanship for which they’re so well known and loved.
Once the meatballs were baked, I cut them in half and lined the bottom of a prepared pie crust with them. Don’t they look amazing? I could tell already that this new meal tradition would go over really well with my family.
Next, I added some filling, tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and fresh basil.
Then I added the rest of the filling and used the back of a spoon to try to push the basil below the liquid so it wouldn’t burn. Then off to the oven, it goes!
And boy, does it look amazing when it’s done!
Caprese Quiche with Meatballs
Perhaps my family’s new meal tradition may become one of yours. Enjoy!
Caprese Quiche with Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 pkg Carando Sicilian-style Italian Meatballs baked according to package directions
- 2 unbaked pie crusts
- 8 eggs
- 4 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1/4 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese divided
- 2 roma tomatoes cut in 1/8" slices
- 1/2 cup fresh basil chopped
Instructions
- Bake meatballs according to package directions. Cut in half. Set aside.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large mixing bowl, mix together eggs, cream, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper. Set aside.Place cut meatballs flat side down in pie shells, dividing evenly between shells. Sprinkle 1/3 cup cheese over meatballs in each quiche. Pour filling into each quiche, leaving tops of meatballs exposed.Lay half of the tomato slices, 1/4 cup basil and 1/3 cup cheese over meatballs in each quiche. Divide remaining filling between the two quiches, but don't overfill.Bake for 65 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Center may be slightly jiggly. Let rest at least 15 minutes before cutting.
