Old Country Quiche Recipes

SPINACH QUICHE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F and set a rack in the middle position. Remove the pie crust from freezer and thaw until just soft enough to easily prick with a fork, about 10 minutes. Prick the bottom and sides all over with a fork (pricking about an inch apart). Bake until fully cooked and lightly golden, 10 to 15 minutes. (Keep an eye on it...if it puffs up while cooking, gently prick it with a fork so it will deflate.) Don't worry if the crust cracks while baking; see my note below on how to fix it before proceeding. Set aside and turn oven down to 325°F.
• Heat the butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Cook the shallots until soft and translucent, about 8 minutes. Do not brown. Set aside to cool.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, heavy cream, nutmeg, salt and cayenne pepper.
• Place the cooked pie crust on a baking sheet (this makes it easy to move in and out of oven). Spread the shallots over the bottom of the cooked crust, then sprinkle the shredded Gruyere over top. Scatter the spinach evenly over cheese, breaking up the clumps as best you can. Pour the egg and cream mixture over top.
• Bake at 325°F degrees for 50 to 55 minutes until the custard is set and top is lightly golden. Serve hot or warm.
• Note: I usually defrost the frozen spinach quickly by placing it in a fine mesh strainer and running hot water over it. I then gather the spinach into a ball and squeeze it dry. It takes a few minutes of squeezing and re-squeezing to get all the water out. Be patient...you need the spinach completely dry, otherwise your quiche will be watery.
• Note: Don't panic if your crust cracks -- you can easily fix it. Make a smooth paste by mixing 1 tablespoon of flour with 1 tablespoon of water. Use your fingers to patch up and fill any cracks, then place the crust back in the oven for a minute or so to set. It should be good as new.
• Make ahead: This quiche can be made up to a day ahead of time and refrigerated. To reheat: Cover the quiche with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated 300°F oven for 35 to 45 minutes, or until hot in the center.
• Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cooked quiche can be frozen for up to 3 months. Remove the quiche from the freezer about 24 hours prior to eating and reheat it, covered with foil, in a 300°F oven until hot in the center.

THE BEST QUICHE LORRAINE

Steps:

• For the pastry crust: Pulse the flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a food processor until combined. Add the butter and pulse until the flour looks like cornmeal. Sprinkle in 3 tablespoons ice water and pulse until the dough begins to come together. Pinch the dough with your fingers; if it doesn't hold together, add up to 2 more tablespoons ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse again.
• Transfer the dough to a sheet of plastic wrap and pat into a disc. Wrap tightly and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour and preferably overnight.
• Lightly flour a work surface, then roll the dough into an 11-inch round, about 1/8 inch thick. Center the dough in a 9-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom, with an even overhang of dough all around. Press the dough into the edges of the pan and the fluted sides. Roll the rolling pin over the top to cut off the extra dough (discard the extra). Poke the bottom and sides all over with a fork. Chill until completely cold, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F.
• Press a piece of parchment over the chilled crust, then fill with pie weights, raw beans or rice. Put the pan on a baking sheet. Bake until the crust is set and golden around the edges, about 40 minutes. Carefully remove the parchment and weights. Return to the oven and bake until the crust is dry and slightly golden, about 15 minutes more. Let cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• For the filling: Combine the butter, onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 cup water in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are completely softened and all the water has evaporated, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a separate medium skillet over medium-low heat, stirring, until the fat has rendered and the bacon is crisp, 10 to 15 minutes.
• When the onions have cooked for 30 minutes, add the bacon using a slotted spoon, then stir in 1 teaspoon of the thyme and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Spread the onion mixture in the bottom of the crust and sprinkle with the Gruyere. Whisk together the cream, eggs and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl until combined. Pour the cream mixture over the filling in the crust and top with the remaining 1 teaspoon thyme.
• Bake the quiche on the baking sheet until set and golden, about 30 minutes. Let cool at least 30 minutes before serving.

COUNTRY QUICHE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large skillet, cook the sausage until browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Then remove with a slotted spoon and reserve.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk the baking powder, tomatoes and eggs together. Add the cooked sausage and the cheese to the egg mixture and stir together with a large spoon. Add salt and pepper and divide the mixture between both unbaked pie shells. Bake until the filling is set, about 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

COUNTRY QUICHE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain (reserving 1 tablespoon of grease) crumble bacon and set aside. Heat reserved bacon grease in skillet and saute onion until soft.
• In a large bowl, beat together eggs, milk, flour, parsley, thyme, salt and pepper. Add bacon, onion, mozzarella and cheddar cheese; mix well. Pour mixture into pie crust.
• Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until lightly brown on top and firm in the middle. Serve warm.

OLD COUNTRY QUICHE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a 9 inch quiche dish with the pastry and flute the edges. Fill with dry beans and bake for 15 minutes or until light brown. Discard the beans and cool on a rack.
• Meanwhile, in a 6 inch nonstick skillet, melt the butter over moderately high heat. Add the onion and saute for 5 minutes or until soft and then transfer to a medium size bowl. Toss with the cheese, bacon and flour. Spread in the pie crust.
• In the same bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk, salt and nutmeg. Pour over the pie mixture and bake, uncovered for 35 minutes or until the center is set.

CHEESY QUICHE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heavily spray a 12-cup nonstick muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until crispy, about 6 minutes. Remove the bacon to a plate with a slotted spoon and pour 2 to 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat (see Cook's Note) into a large, heatproof bowl. To the bacon fat, add the crushed corn flakes and Cheddar. Stir the mixture together until it starts to clump. Press the mixture into the cups of the prepared muffin pan. Bake until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove and cool slightly on a baking rack in the pan.
• Return the skillet to medium-high heat and add the butter. Once the butter is melted, add the onions and cook until softened and starting to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle on the mustard, salt, paprika and pepper. Stir the collard greens into the onion mixture. Continue cooking the greens, stirring occasionally, until wilted, 5 to 6 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
• Whisk together the half-and-half and eggs, then stir in the greens. Pour some of the egg mixture into each crust in the pan to come about three-quarters of the way up and sprinkle on the bacon. Bake until the egg has set and doesn't jiggle, 15 to 20 minutes. Set the mini quiches on a baking rack for 10 minutes to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

QUICHE LORRAINE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Line a nine-inch pie plate with the pastry. By all means build a rim with the pastry and flute it. This is essential for the amount of custard indicated in this recipe.
• Cover the bottom of the pastry with a round of parchment paper and add enough dried beans or peas to partly fill the shell. Bake 10 minutes.
• Reduce the oven heat to 375 degrees. Remove and discard the beans and parchment paper and set the pastry-lined pie plate aside.
• Cook the bacon until crisp and remove it from skillet. Pour off all but one tablespoon of the fat remaining in the skillet. Cook the onion in the remaining fat until the onion is transparent.
• Crumble the bacon and sprinkle the bacon, onion and cheeses over the inside of the partly baked pastry.
• Combine the eggs, cream, nutmeg, salt, pepper and Tabasco sauce to taste. Strain the mixture over the onion-cheese mixture. Slide the pie onto a baking sheet.
• Bake the pie until a knife inserted one inch from the pastry edge comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Remove to a wire rack. Let stand five or 10 minutes before serving.

COUNTRY QUICHE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Melt the butter in a heavy nonstick skillet over medium high heat.
• Saute onions for 5 minutes, or until tender.
• Transfer the onions and next 3 ingredients to a bowl.
• Combine the eggs, milk and nutmeg in another bowl.
• Season with salt to taste and stir in onion mixture.
• Pour into pie shell and bake 25-35 minutes or until center is set.