Quiche

Now I'm thinking about breakfast foods that can also be used for any other meal. I've never eaten quiche and really liked it until I went to a baby shower a few years ago and had quiche made by my very french friend, Agnes. It was a simple cheese quiche but I loved it! The flavor was light yet sharp, the texture of the crust was tender yet substantial enough to handle the filling and the egg was so fluffy and perfect.

I'm not a baker; I don't have the patience nor the ability to be precise with ingredients, it's just a stretch for me. However, Agnes showed me how to make pie dough and she didn't measure a thing! She actually tried to measure ingredients just to make everyone else comfortable :) I've slightly altered the dough recipe over the years, but I still credit it all to Agnes!

So here is the basic dough:

Approximately 2 cups all purpose flour (cold! I put in the freezer for 15-20 minutes)
1 stick butter cut into small pieces (I cut the pieces then place in the freezer with the flour)
salt (I guess about 1/2 tsp - 1 tsp depending on whether you're butter is salted)
about 3/4 cup cold water

Put flour into a food processer, add salt and pulse to mix. Add the butter and pulse until you have chunks of butter about the size of small peas.

Begin adding the cold water (I would start with 1/2 cup and add more as needed) then pulse just until dough begins to form. You can bring it all together by hand.

Turn onto a floured work surface, knead as little as possible (adding a bit of flour if dough is too wet) then roll gently with a rolling pin.

Transfer to a greased pie plate (I prefer a deep pie plate for a quiche).

Now for the filling! Our favorite is simply ham and cheese, however we really like bacon and mushroom and I love spinach and tomato.

I thinly slice Gruyere cheese with a vegetable peeler and make a thin layer across the bottom of the pan with dough; you don't need a lot of Gruyere as it has a strong flavor. I add ham chunks, cooked and crumbled bacon, fresh mushrooms, baby spinach or whatever I want to add in, but always use Gruyere cheese!

Using my pampered chef measuring/mixing/pouring bowl I crack 4 eggs and add enough milk to reach the 2 cup line (Agnes insists on whole, but I have used 1% and skim, but the result requires longer cooking time as the eggs are more watery and less creamy). Whip eggs with a fork, add salt and pepper (and/or garlic, onion powder, whatever works for you!) to taste then pour over the cheese and other ingredients. Bake at 375 degrees for 35-45 minutes until eggs are set.

If I'm making tomato and spinach quiche, I thinly slice the tomato and place on a paper towel. I then salt them to help draw moisture from the tomatoes. After letting them sit for a few minutes, I wipe off the salt, pat dry then flip the tomato and repeat the process. I then layer the tomatoes on top, after adding the eggs.

Get creative, have fun and enjoy quiche the way it's meant to be enjoyed!