Freekeh Broccoli Chicken Cheese Torte

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 tsp. garlic, minced
1 pkg. (8 oz.) Freekeh (or rice
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup broccoli tops, chopped finely
2 tsp. dried basil
3/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup Swiss cheese, shredded
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
salt & pepper to taste
Panko bread crumbs

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, heat the oil.  Add onions and garlic.  Cook, stirring frequently, until onions begin to brown.  Add Freekeh and broth.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until the Freekeh is tender and all of the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in basil, thyme and broccoli.  Set aside, uncovered to cool slightly.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl combine milk, eggs, cheeses, and chicken breasts.  Stir in Freekeh mixture.  Spray an 8 1/2" springform pan with nonstick spray.  Spoon mixture in pan.  Bake 50 minutes.  Remove pan from oven and sprinkle with Panko.  Return to oven and cook another 5 minutes or until Panko has browned slightly.  To serve, cut into wedges.  Serves 6-8.

Martha:  This dish can be made with rice but I decided to give it a try using Freekeh.  That turned out to be a great ingredient change.  The original recipe called for more onions, which I cut down to 1/2 cup instead of 1.  It called for less cheese, which I increased up to 1/2 cup of each.  It also used 1/4 cup of parsley which I changed to the broccoli.  Plus I added the chicken.  This dish, served with a salad and roll make the perfect dish for any dinner.  

Food Tester Carol:  This was a delight to eat and made a perfect dinner with the addition of some sugar snap peas.  In addition to the freekah grain, it's like a quiche with egg, cheese, chicken and little bits of broccoli - in other words, a meal in itself  It bakes so that it is easily sliced into wedges.  There is a pleasing tanginess about the combination of ingredients, accentuated by the sprinkle of cheese on top.  This is easy to digest and very satisfying.