Build Your Own Quiche

I like to think of quiches as the perfect brunch food. Why so perfect, you ask? Well, quiches are extremely customizable. Start with a basic crust recipe, some eggs and milk, your favorite cheese, and customize the fillings from there. Having a vegetarian over? No problem, just use a plethora of fresh veggies and herbs. Have to make the menu kid friendly? Add ham and cheese, and both kids and adults alike will enjoy. Make it your own!

Crust

Start with this basic recipe to get the perfect, flaky crust for your quiche.

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup cold Land O Lakes® Butter, cut into chunks
• 3 to 4 tablespoons cold water

Combine flour and salt in bowl; cut in butter with pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in enough water with fork just until flour is moistened. Shape dough into a ball and flatten slightly.

Roll out dough on lightly floured surface into 12-inch circle. Fold into quarters and place into ungreased 9-inch tart pan or glass pie plate. Unfold pastry, pressing firmly against bottom and sides of pan. Refrigerate until ready to fill.

Basic Filling

Half & half, eggs, salt and pepper are all you need to form the base of your quiche filling.

• 1 1/2 cups Land O Lakes® Half & Half
• 5 Land O Lakes® all-Natural Eggs, slightly beaten
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Whisk together eggs, half and half, salt and pepper in large bowl.

Add On’s

This is where you can really explore- the add-ons. Pick and choose your ingredients to make the quiche your own. You really can’t go wrong with any vegetable, meat or cheeses- but here are some ideas to get you started. Stir in any of the following to your egg mixture:

Fresh Herbs (chopped, up to 1/4 cup total)

• Basil
• Thyme
• Rosemary
• Chives
• Parsley
• Cilantro
• Dill

Cheeses (about 1 cup)

• Shredded Cheddar, Swiss, Gruyere or Parmesan
• Crumbled Goat, Feta or Blue

Meats & Veggies (choose 1-4, no more than 2 cups total)

This is where leftovers come in handy- have some rotisserie chicken in the fridge, or leftover toppings from Friday’s pizza night? Have some vegetables in the crisper that are nearing their end? Throw them in!

Meat

• Bacon, Ham, Pancetta or Prosciutto, cooked and chopped
• Sausage (Italian or Pork), cooked and crumbled
• Chicken or Turkey, cooked and chopped

Vegetables

• Asparagus, cooked and cut into pieces
• Caramelized onions
• Bell pepper, cut into small pieces
• Mushrooms, cut into quarters or slices, sautéed
• Sun dried tomatoes, chopped
• Roasted red peppers, sliced
• Tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• Red onion, chopped
• Kalamata Olives, halved
• Spinach, wilted
• Broccoli, cut into pieces and cooked
• Artichoke hearts, quartered

Baking

After you have picked your fillings and stirred them into the egg mixture, pour the quiche filling into the prepared crust. For easier transporting, place the quiche onto a baking sheet. Bake in a 375°F oven for 40-50 minutes or until the egg mixture feels set in the center and a knife inserted comes out mostly clean.

One of the most important tricks I’ve learned about quiche making is to make sure to let it sit for at least 40 minutes on a cooling rack. Although it may be tempting to cut right in once it’s done baking, it’s best to let it sit and firm up before slicing. It will make it much easier to cut and serve.

What combinations will you try? I’d love to hear some ideas and any other stir-ins I may have forgotten about. Have fun picking and choosing and making a quiche just the way you like it!