Quiche

Directions

1.  To prepare the crust, first put water in the freezer to chill. The key to a crispy crust is ice-cold water.

2.  In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Cut in the butter until the dough forms small balls.

3.  Begin mixing in the water gradually; you will not need all of it. Don’t let the dough get sticky. And don’t over mix or the crust will be tough.

4.  Form the dough into 2 balls and wrap them with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours. You will only use one crust in this recipe – the second can be frozen for later or stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

5.  Pre-heat oven to high. Remove one dough ball fro the refrigerator and roll out on a floured surface (about ¼ inch thick). Handle the dough as little as possible so that it will not become tough.

6.  Fit the dough into your pie pan and prick the bottom and sides with a fork.

7.  Line the pie crust with foil and fill the center with 3 cups dried beans to keep pressure on the crust.

8.  Bake for 6 minutes. Remove the lining and the beans and bake a few more minutes. The crust is done when the pastry is golden and slightly separates from the edges of the pan. Remove from the oven and let cool. (Adjust oven temperature to medium-high for baking the whole quiche.)

9.  To make the filling, beat the eggs in a bowl and add enough milk or cream to make a total of 1 ½ cups of liquid.

10.   Grate the cheese and add it to the egg mixture.

11.   Stir in the nutmeg, salt, and pepper to taste.

12.   Pour the filling into the pre-baked crust.

13.   Bake in the center of the oven for 35 – 45 minutes.

14.   The quiche is done once it has puffed up and the top has browned (reduce heat if top and bottom are cooking too fast). Check with a knife to see if the center is finished.

15.   Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature to set.

 

Notes: A weekend brunch favorite, this dish can be served either warm or cold. The crust may be prepared the night before for easy morning preparation.

 

Variations: Spinach: Sauté a chopped green onion and 10 oz (285 g) of fresh chopped spinach in 2 Tbs of butter. Add it to the basic filling. Sausage and Onion: Sauté 2 cups chopped onion in butter for 2 minutes. Set aside. Add sausage to the pan and cook for 10 minutes or until lightly brown. Place the onions on the bottom of the crust. Fill the crust with the basic filling and sprinkle the sausage over the top. Mushrooms and Bacon: Sprinkle the bottom of the crust with precooked, crumbled bacon. Add ½ c extra cheese and 1 c sautéed mushrooms to the basic filling. If you’d like, sprinkle the sausage over the top.