There are few dishes more versatile than quiche. Whether serving breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner, there is a quiche that suits the occasion. The dish is delicious yet simple and quite easy to master. Experiment with filling ingredients or stick to classics like Quiche Lorraine or broccoli and cheddar.
Of course plenty of pie crusts are readily available at the grocery store, but if you are feeling particularly ambitious, you can make your own from scratch. Here is a fool-proof recipe to add to your recipe folder’s repertoire:
Perfect Pie Crust 3-2-1
This recipe will yield enough crust for a 9-inch by 2-inch tall springform pan or two 9-inch pie crusts. The name of this dough (3-2-1) comes from its ratio: 3 parts flour, 2 parts fat, 1 part water. Weigh ingredients, instead of measuring them by volume, for accuracy and better results. You can use different fats to make this dough; butter results in a rich, flavorful dough. Other choices include lard, which works great for savory pies, and vegetable shortening when seeking a neutral taste. Make sure to measure the quantity of shortening by weight because it does not have the same volume/weight as butter.
In preparing the crust, make sure the fat is cold. It can even be frozen. Also, the dough must be made quickly and worked as little as possible. Flour and fat are combined together; then, enough water is added just to form into dough. When combining the flour and fat, create small beads of fat and plenty of pea-sized chunks for a flaky crust (the fat separates the layers of flour and water). The colder the fat, the better. Over mixing, kneading, or adding too much water will result in the development of too much gluten and tough dough. Keep the fat cool by using ice cold water. When the dough just comes together, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before rolling out.
12 ounces unbleached all-purpose flour (about 2 1/4 cups)
9 ounces butter (2 sticks), cut into small pieces, frozen
2 to 4 ounces ice water
1/2 teaspoon sea or kosher salt
Make the dough by food processor or with your hands. We prefer the food processor, but both methods work well.
Food Processor Method
Pulse the flour and cubes of butter together until the butter chunks are the size of peas. Add salt and pulse once or twice. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing between each addition. Stop adding water as soon as the dough starts clumping together (it should not all hold together in a ball; if it does, chances are you added too much water). Take the dough out onto a floured work surface. Use your hands to bring the dough together into a ball. Do not over-knead or the dough could become tough or shrink once cooked. Flatten the ball of dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before rolling out.
Hand Method
Combine the flour and butter in a mixing bowl and rub the butter between your fingers until you have small beads of fat and plenty of pea-sized chunks. Add the ice water gradually and a good pinch of salt and mix gently, just until combined, making sure not to over-mix as noted in the food processor method. Shape the dough into a disk and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until ready to roll.
Now that you have the perfect crust, the fillings are up to you! One of our favorites is a simple broccoli and cheddar quiche. Here is our recipe:
Broccoli Cheddar Quiche
2 cups of broccoli florets, roughly chopped
1/2 medium sweet onion, chopped
6 ounces sharp white cheddar, grated
5 eggs
1 cup milk or half and half
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Perfect Pie 3-2-1 Crust or store-bought crust
Roll out half of pie crust to fit a 9-inch pie plate. Blind bake, meaning pre-bake, the dough at 350 F for 15 minutes until the crust is lightly golden brown. Line the dough with parchment and fill it with dried beans or pie weights so the crust bakes flat. After 15 minutes, remove the weights and parchment, gently patch with the reserved dough any cracks that may have formed. Continue baking until the bottom of the crust is golden and cooked, about 15 minutes more.
Remove the crust from the oven and patch any cracks that may have opened. The shell should be anywhere between cold and warm when adding the batter, not piping hot from the oven. Skip this step if using a store-bought crust. While the dough is baking, prepare filling. Chop the onion and saute in olive oil in a small pan over medium heat until translucent. Combine the broccoli with the cooked onion in a bowl and set aside. We suggest blanching the broccoli in boiling water for 2 minutes, then plunging into cold ice water and drying before adding to onion to cook it slightly. In another bowl, place the eggs, milk or half and half, salt, pepper, and cheese and whisk until combined. Add this mixture to the broccoli and onions and pour into your pie crust.
Bake at 350 F for 45 minutes to an hour, until quiche has set and crust is golden brown.
Hash Brown Quiche with Bacon, Spinach, and Peppers
You can also make a hash brown crust for a quiche. The crust looks beautiful and impressive and is a more filling dish that will feed a crowd.
For the hash brown crust:
1 package frozen hash browns, thawed and squeezed dry
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 egg
A sprinkle of onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
Add a little olive oil to the bottom of a springform pan (or pie dish) and line with parchment paper, including the sides. Brush with more oil on top of the parchment paper. Set aside. Combine the hash browns, melted butter, egg, and spices in a bowl and put them in the pan, pushing them up the sides. Cook in a preheated oven at 350 F for about 30 minutes or until the hash browns start to crisp up.
For the quiche:
1/4 cup onion, diced
1/4 cup green pepper, diced
6 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
1/2 package of fresh spinach
3-4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
In a small pan, over low/medium heat, add a tablespoon of oil and saute the onions, peppers, and garlic for 8 to 10 minutes or until soft and translucent. Add the spinach and cook another few minutes over low heat until wilted. Set aside to cool.
In a bowl, combine the eggs, milk, cheese, and bacon. Add the cooled onion, pepper, and spinach mixture and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper and pour into the hash brown crust pan.
Bake for 45 minutes or until fully cooked in the middle.
Quiche Lorraine Bites
Quiche Lorraine Bites are packed with all the delicious flavors of Quiche Lorraine and are perfect for serving at a breakfast, brunch, or even cocktail party. They can be served right out of the oven or at room temperature. Either way, they are completely delicious!
2 packages 15-count phyllo shells
2 teaspoons red onion, finely chopped
3 large eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup Swiss cheese, finely shredded
1/2 teaspoon flour
Salt
Pepper
3 pieces bacon, cooked and crumbled
Chives for garnish
Remove phyllo shells from package and place on a sheet pan. Saute onion in olive oil. In a glass measuring cup with a spout, combine eggs, heavy cream, flour, salt, and pepper and whisk until smooth. Stir in onion and bacon. Pour mixture into phyllo cups, filling almost to the top. Bake at 350 F for 12 to 15 minutes or until eggs are set. Garnish with chopped fresh chives.
Crustless Quiche
Looking for a lighter version of a quiche? This is it! You will not even miss the crust, and with just four ingredients it does not get any simpler. These can be made in a mini muffin pan for a quick breakfast to grab on the way out the door, in a sheet pan that can be cut into squares for an appetizer, or in a pie pan. This is really just a method; you add whatever vegetables or cheeses preferred.
Sausage and Cheese Crustless Quiche
1 pound pork or turkey sausage, browned and drained
8 eggs
2 cups cheese, shredded (we use a combination of cheddar and Monterey Jack)
1 cup milk
Brown sausage and drain, and set aside to cool. In a mixing bowl whisk eggs and milk together, then add shredded cheese. Add sausage and mix all ingredients well. The mixture will be very thick. Pour into a sheet pan, mini muffin pan, or pie pan and bake at 350 F for 35 to 45 minutes until fully cooked.
These recipes were developed by the ladies at Lillian’s Eatery & Bakery.