Quiche with options

Hi all,

Well I am finally happy with a quiche recipe. I've tried a bunch of different things, but this one works consistently well. I have included some various ingredients that you can add to make it your own. Yesterday, I made a ham, spinach, caramelized onion quiche with swiss, gruyere, and cheddar cheese. I like quiche because it make great leftovers and you can tweak around the ingredients. I purchased pie crust from Trader Joes which made the quiche very easy.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

1 premade pie crust (I like the one from Trader Joes. You have to thaw it ahead of time)

Fit the crust into a deep, 9 inch pie pan. Flute the edges by pinching it between thumb and index of one hand and indenting it between the two with your other index. You can also use a fork to create a striped pattern around the edge. Place a piece of aluminum foil onto the pie dough, pressing it down flat. If you have pie weights (little funny ball things) use those or if you don't, you can fill the bottom with uncooked beans or rice. The idea is to hold down the pie dough as it cooks. Place in 450 oven for 10 minutes. Lift off foil and beans and bake for an additional 5 minutes or until the dough is lightly browned.

While the pie dough bakes prepare the filling and caramelized the onion.

4 eggs
1 cup half and half
pinch of salt and pepper

Whisk the eggs, cream, and seasonings together in a bowl.

1 large onion
1 tablespoon olive oil

Saute the onion until it becomes nicely brown, but not burnt.

1/4 pound (approximate) ham (you can also use precooked bacon, or sausage) cut into small pieces
1 1/2 cup shredded cheese (swiss is classic, but you can also use cheddar or gruyere)
1/3 package frozen spinach, defrosted in microwave and with as much liquid removed as possible (You could also use broccoli, asparagus, or sauteed peppers. Be creative!)

When the pie dough is brown. Remove and let cool for 5-10 minutes. Sprinkle first with ham, then cheese, then spinach and last the caramelized onions. Give the cream and egg mixture one last mix and pour into the pie shell with the other ingredients.

nutmeg

Sprinkle lightly with nutmeg. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the center is set and a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean. I think the caramelized onions are a must. Let me know what you think?

Hugs,
Mameekosan