A Southern Grace: gimme a quiche on the lips

January 7, 2014

gimme a quiche on the lips

Yum

I've become quite the fan of quiche. When all is said and done, what's not to love? There's nothing wrong with creamy, custardy eggs and tasty toss-ins encased in a flaky pastry crust...except that you might have to make said pastry crust.


Yep, that's far and away the hardest part of the whole affair. If you've ever ordered quiche at a restaurant and been served something with a less-than-stellar crust, you know how important it is to take the extra time and make it good. Having made hundreds of crusts in my lifetime (99% occurring in the last 3 years), you'd think I could do it with one hand behind my back. While I'm undoubtedly more confident and have a much higher success rate, I still goof up occasionally and still absolutely dread the endeavor every time.


In the case of quiche, though, the crotchety crust is worth every ounce of hassle. Sure, you could make a frittata and skip the crust entirely or you could buy a ready-made crust and save yourself some trouble, but I ask you--when a pastry crust is made correctly, is there any comparison? I submit that there is not. It adds some class and some great flavor to what could be a boring breakfast egg pie.

I have pretty simple tastes when it comes to quiche--I enjoy bacon and cheese, obviously, and some cooked onion has earned a spot as well. I've tried tomatoes, asparagus, spinach, and roasted red peppers, and they're all welcome every once in awhile, but my staples are the aforementioned trifecta. I like some dried mustard in there as well, and I've found that just a hint of nutmeg adds something special too. Your mileage may vary.

Tips for quiche success:
  • Crust is key! Whether you're using a homemade or store-bought crust, be sure to blind bake it before adding your filling.
  • Adding an egg wash to the blind-baked pastry shell will help to seal it and prevent sogginess.
  • Be sure to saute any raw vegetables you might be adding so that the time in the oven will be sufficient to finish cooking them before the eggs are done. Also, try to keep them evenly chopped.
  • When it comes to making the custard filling, try to avoid using low-fat products, as their high water content can prevent the quiche from setting properly and can make it too watery.
  • As you combine the milk and eggs, beat only enough to loosen the eggs--don't let them get frothy. The custard is ready to pour into the crust when no streaks of milk remain.
  • Don't fill the quiche to the rim--leave about a 1/2-inch of space. Since it can be tricky to transfer a full quiche to the oven without spilling the custard, it's best to transfer the custard to a liquid measuring container and pour the custard into the shell after placing the pie plate on a baking sheet in the oven.
  • Take the quiche out of the oven when the center is still slightly wobbly. This will ensure that it doesn't overcook and will still have its creamy custard texture when you cut into it.
  • Always allow a quiche to rest at least 15 to 20 minutes before cutting or removing from the pan--your patience will be rewarded.
  • While you can reheat your quiche by the slice in the microwave for a quick fix, it retains its quality much better if you have the time to warm it in a 250 degree F oven for 10 to 15 minutes.
Quality Quiche
Makes 6-8 servings
Ingredients:

  • 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
  • 4 pieces bacon, cooked crispy and coarsely chopped
  • 8 ounces gouda, jack, or provolone cheese, shredded
  • 1 (9 inch) unbaked deep dish pie crust
  • 4 eggs, beaten
  • 1-1/2 cups milk
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried mustard
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Pinch nutmeg
Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Blind bake your pie crust for 10 to 15 minutes, just to give it a head start.
  3. In a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium heat.
  4. Saute the onion until lightly browned and very aromatic, about 7 minutes.
  5. Apply an egg wash to the pie crust (see tips above), and then sprinkle the sauteed onions, chopped bacon, and shredded cheese evenly onto the pie crust.
  6. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and cream. Season with mustard, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
  7. Pour into the pastry shell, allowing egg mixture to thoroughly combine with vegetable and cheese mixture.
  8. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until set in the center.
  9. Allow to stand 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

29 comments:

Rosa's Yummy Yums said...

A wonderful quiche! That is something I love to bake and eat.

Cheers,

Rosa

pam said...

I believe that I have only made pie crust once. It ended badly for both me and the crust and my kitchen.

Becki's Whole Life said...

Great tips! I agree that a good quiche is so much better if you make your own crust.

Joanne said...

In my experience, each crust is it's own beast, but these tips are definitely helpful!! Who doesn't love a good quiche?!

Alicia Foodycat said...

I agree with all of those points! I do love a good quiche.

~~louise~~ said...

I am such a bad pie crust person. I botch up store bought pie crust, that's how bad I am. I once had a recipe for quiche that made its own crust because I simply adore quiche and it was the only way it came out half way decent.

I really should try again, I miss quiche and as much as I adore it simple, it sure is a great way to "recycle" leftovers!

Thanks for sharing some great tips Grace and of course, your recipe...

vanillasugarblog said...

oh my gosh I love quiche!
cold leftover quiche with a cold glass of white wine is the best.
and quiche is so cheap to make too when money is tight

Velva said...

I have grown to really appreciate quiche-Indeed it is delicious and you can use almost anything that you have in your refrigerator and pantry to make it happen.

A homemade pastry crust cannot be compared to a store bought one-Ever.

Rosita Vargas said...

Adorable quiche de verduras me encanta,abrazos.

Big Rigs 'n Lil' Cookies said...

I must try this. For some reason that I don't know, I have never ever made a quiche. As long as I am confessing, why is it that I have never even tasted quiche? I must fix this soon!

Jeff @ Cheese-burger.net said...

I'm a huge fan of quiche as well. And I have to agree with you, the crust makes or breaks the quiche for me.

Angie's Recipes said...

I too enjoy a good quiche. Yours looks awesome!

Unknown said...

One of my favorite breakfast-or anytime- meals... Quiche. Also am a huge fan of custard.. best of both worlds.

sprinklesandsauce said...

Yum! We mostly eat quiches when we get invited over! Will have to try it ourselves one of these days!

Barbara said...

Laughed out loud at your title. :)
You can't beat a quiche...love 'em!

CQUEK said...

Yours looks fabulous!

Beth said...

Your perfect quiche sounds like my perfect quiche. Which reminds me I haven't made one in a while! Time to change that.

Blond Duck said...

I haven't made quiche in forever! It'd be great for Danielle's shower!

Anonymous said...

nothing better than a veggie loaded savory treat encased in a crisp pastry shell...there is nothing in it which we can ever resist...we love quiches and this recipe along with all those wonderful tips is just making us crave them even more,thanks for sharing :-)

Pam said...

I love quiche but never make it due to the fact that I would literally eat all of the crust. Seriously. I have a problem.

I think you are right the onion, cheese, and bacon is the perfect quiche combination.

Erica said...

I love quiche! Great combination of flavors, Grace!

I Wilkerson said...

I love quiche too! We've been doing them for dinner lately and I don't think I could do a brunch without at least two different quiches!

foodhoe said...

You make it sound easy enough for me to make one, and all of your tips are things I would definitely be doing wrong... An inspiring post as usual!

Caroline Taylor said...

Do you know I've never made a quiche! Think I need to.

lisa is cooking said...

I admit to being lazy about making a crust! I usually opt for frittatas. I'm inspired to make a proper quiche now though. Good crust is the best!

Cheesy Pennies said...

Quiche is one of my favorite things in the world. Great title!

Amy (Savory Moments) said...

Delicious, Grace! I, too, love a good quiche (especially with some bacon). I don't make them nearly enough... I should make one for a nice weekend brunch soon! Thanks!

Lisa-Marie said...

I looooove quiche. I might make quiche today!

Laura said...

Yummy. I totally agree with your trifecta! And I hate making crust myself....