A quiche is a French tart made with a mid soft to crispy pastry crust filled with a savoury egg custard and several mix-ins.
The mix-ins often include veggies, meats, seafood, cheese or herbs mixed, sometimes on their own or mixed up.
Quiches resemble pizza pies but the difference is in the texture of the crust and layers of fillings.
It’s a classic recipe that always makes for an impressive brunch or snack.
Lorraine is a ham and cheese filling quiche.
Ingredients
For the crust
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 10 tbsp unsalted butter (cold)
- 2 - 4 tbsp ice-cold water
Quiche filling
- 5 large eggs
- 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
- 1 1/4 cups chopped ham
- 1 cup shredded cheese
- 1/3 cup chopped green onions
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- salt to taste
Note: You can also use half and half in place of cream but it won't be quite as rich and the crust won't stay as crisp.
Method
In a mixing bowl add and whisk together all the dry ingredients.
Add chopped butter then using a pastry cutter, cut butter into the flour mixture until it resembles a coarse meal with some slightly larger clumps of butter throughout.
Drizzle in water, a tablespoon at a time. Mixing after each addition,until the mixture is moistened enough. When you press it together with your hand it should hold.
Empty the mixture into a clean work surface and press it together into a round disk, then flatten it to about 6-inch disk and wrap it with plastic wrap.
Refrigerate for an hour as you preheat your oven to 175 degrees.
Take out the chilled dough and roll onto a floured surface till it's round. Roll and wrap dough around a rolling pin then transfer to a deep dish pie pan.
Unroll dough then shape it into the pan. Trimming uneven edges while leaving about an inch overhang, proceed to fold the overhang underneath and decorate edges as desired.
Cover crust with aluminium foil, pressing directly against bottom and side surfaces and leaving foil overhang to drape over edges of crust to prevent over-browning.
Set crust on a baking sheet, then bake for 25 minutes.
Pierce bottom and sides all over with a toothpick and continue to bake until crust appears dried, and the toothpick comes out without residue.
Note: They'll be carryover cooking upon removal from oven so careful not to over-bake so it’s not rubbery.
As the crust bakes, blend eggs together in a mixing bowl with a fork until blended.
Add in heavy cream, ham, cheese, green onions, parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste and stir mixture until well blended.
Pour mixture into pie crust then bake in preheated 175 degree oven (one level below centre) until centre of quiche is just barely set.
Allow it to sit for a few minutes then slice and serve warm.