Artichoke & Jalapeño Savory Pie

Happy Spring! To celebrate, here's an eggy savory pie for the greening season- spiked with the kicked-up heat of jalapeños. It's a hybrid of traditional kugel and pasta frittata. Kinda postmodern. An easy baked egg dish perfect for brunch, a light weekend supper, or anytime you crave huevos.

Artichoke & Jalapeño Savory Pie Recipe

To make this pie dairy-free, sub the cream cheese with your favorite non-dairy cream cheese or yogurt. Your mother's pasta frittata, this isn't. Your mother didn't make you pasta frittata? Babycakes! What are you waiting for?

1 tablespoon or so of extra virgin olive oil
2 cups cooked noodles- such as Tinkyada brown rice spaghetti
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
10 halved artichoke hearts- if frozen, thawed
8-oz cream cheese or Greek style yogurt
8 large happy free-range organic eggs
2 heaping tablespoons chopped fresh or jarred jalapeños
2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro- or parsley, if preferred
A pinch of nutmeg
Sea salt and ground pepper, to taste
2 medium size vine ripe or heirloom tomatoes, sliced

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly oil a deep 9-inch pie plate.

Briefly heat the leftover cold noodles in a skillet with a touch of olive oil if needed, to soften. Arrange the noodles in the bottom of the pie plate.

Return the skillet to the burner and heat a dash of olive oil; add the garlic and artichokes and briefly cook- for two minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside.

Using a spoon, place dabs of the softened cream cheese all over the top of the noodles. (Skip this step if using yogurt.)

In a large measuring cup, whisk the eggs (with the yogurt, if using) till frothy. Set aside.

Arrange the garlicky artichoke hearts in a circular pattern, tucking the wide end into the noodles (placing pointy tips up).

Sprinkle the noodles and artichokes with the chopped jalapeños. Season with cilantro, sea salt and pepper.

Pour the egg mixture all over the top of the noodles, allowing it to seep down in and around all the nooks and crannies.

Arrange the sliced tomatoes on the top. Sprinkle with more cilantro, sea salt and pepper.

Bake the pie for 50 minutes or so until the center is set and the edges are golden brown. Test the center for doneness with a wooden pick- it should be dry, not wet.

Allow the pie to sit for ten minutes before cutting and serving. Serve with a crisp herb or baby green salad with clementine sections.

Serves six.

More gluten-free egg recipes:

Salmon & Spinach Goat Cheese Strata
Blue Chip Frittata Mediterranean
Purple Potato Quiche
Roasted Vegetable Frittata
Santa Fe Huevos on Polenta
Roasted Vegetable Cheddar Quiche
Gold Potato Frittata