Easy Quiche

Don’t discount the good old stand-bys during the holidays... Quiche is a perfect example. I mean who hasn’t popped a mini quiche into their mouths during a holiday party? Now most of the time they are the frozen grocery store variety but I’m here to tell you just how easy it is to make at home.

It doesn’t matter if you are making mini or a full size quiche the rules are the same. 

To begin, prepare your pastry. Below you will find my ‘go to’. It’s incredibly easy and worth the time if you have it. If you don’t, store bought is totally acceptable.  

EASY PEASY PASTRY

This pastry makes enough for 16 minis or 1 full size pie crust. 

1 c. flour
1 tbsp. sugar
6-7 tbsp. salted butter* (just shy of one full stick)
* I see this as a 2 birds 1 stone situation… but if you use unsalted butter you can add 1/2 tsp.salt .
1 egg

Place flour and sugar in bowl.

Cut butter into pieces and add to flour mixture. With pastry cutter, cut butter into flour mixture.

In centre make a well (clear area in centre) and add egg. Mix egg with fork and blend ingredients together working from inside out.

Once coarsely mixed together, spread light flour on working surface and knead dough until completely blended (approx. 4-5 minute by hand.) Flatten into a disc. Place in fridge for 20-30 minutes. Remove from fridge and allow it to sit at room temperature until ready to roll.

Set your oven to 350˚. 

Roll your sheet of dough.

If making a full size crust, place dough in a 9” pie plate and crimp edges. 

Line crust with parchment paper and fills with pie weights or dried beans.  

Cook (Blind Bake) for approx 15 minutes.  

Remove from oven and remove weights (or dried beans) and parchment.  

Place back in oven for approx. 10 minutes. I recommend poking a few small holes so that crust doesn’t balloon and steam can escape.  

Remove from oven and place on cooling rack.

Once cooled, the fun begins….

INSTRUCTIONS

1. First the onions. I usually use shallots and dice them small. Place shallots/onion to cover bottom of crust. (Usually 1.5 shallots)

2. Add you favourite ingredients. Here is a combination of a few of my favourites.

Ham + Rosemary (Buy sliced ham in the deli and cut into small pieces)
Fire Roasted Tomatoes and Goat Cheese
Mushroom + Thyme (I fry mushrooms in butter, yes butter, in advance with fresh thyme and sea salt to enhance their flavour

Other great combos would be
Chicken + Broccoli (Cook chicken and dice. Blanch broccoli)
Grilled Vegetable and Goat Cheese

Add you ingredients on top of onions. My general rule is to just cover the onions. You can’t really screw it up so have some fun with it. 

3. Next up… cheese. I use Swiss Emmental, it is delicious and worth the extra coin. Grate cheese and place on top of your ingredients to cover.

4. Now your egg mixture.
The ratio is as follows…
1 egg = 1/2 c. milk (or 1/4 c. of each milk and cream)  

I use 3 eggs/1 c. milk and 1/2 cup cream)  for a shallow 9” pan

Whisk egg/milk mixture until foamy. Pour mixture into pan.

Place in oven to cook for 30-45 minutes.

Place on cooling rack and enjoy.

Quiche is great for holiday entertaining and lazy post Christmas days. Enjoy.

NOTE:
For minis adjust as follows:

- Pastry makes enough for 16 mini quiche.
- I use a 2” circular cookie cutter and then press cut pieces into baking sheet.
- ‘Blind Bake’ for approx. 10 minutes.
- Fill with ingredients once cooled.
- For 16 minis my egg mixture was 1 egg / 1/4 c. milk and 1/4 c. cream and was spooned into shells.

Cook time was approx 18 minutes but I would recommend setting time for 10 minutes initially and then intervals of 5 minutes and keeping an eye on them.

Party tip: Cook in advance and freeze. Then come day of the party just heat up and serve.

Quiche is always best once flavour has gone through.