I have long enjoyed quiche, but generally thought of it as too difficult and too decadent to make at home on a regular basis. And while it’s true that quiche can be both of those things, with pie crusts, heavy cream, and fillings like bacon and tons of cheese, it certainly doesn’t have to be. I was first turned on to the idea of making quiche at home from one of my favorite books – French Kids Eat Everything – and have since developed recipes to suit my own preferences with additional inspiration from 100 Days of Real Food and my friend Caron at First Bites.
Quiche is now one of my go-to easy weeknight meals. Serve with a nice big salad, maybe some bread, and you have a simple and delicious dinner. It can easily be customized to suit your family’s preferences, with whatever kind of veggies and/or cheese you like added in. You can also change the egg to milk ratio if you prefer – more milk and less egg makes more of a smooth custard consistency if you don’t want it too eggy, or you could go the other way to make it more like a frittata in a crust. You can also prep this ahead – the crust can be made and stored in the fridge or freezer, and the egg mixture made earlier in the day or a day ahead and stored in the fridge. I made three quiches for a party this way (parmesan, broccoli cheddar, and ham with gruyere) – crusts were frozen and ready to go days in advance, and the egg mixture in the fridge the day before, so all I had to do was add my fillings and pour in the eggs when I was ready to bake.
I included two crust options below – a whole wheat crust and an almond meal crust. Both are super easy, requiring no mixers, rolling pins, or other special equipment or skills. Just mix, press into the pie pan, and in the case of the almond crust, bake for a few minutes while you get the rest of the quiche ready. Both are delicious too!
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Quiche
Option #1: Whole Wheat Crust
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), melted
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (I use King Arthur Flour Organic White Whole Wheat)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons milk
Mix all of the ingredients right in the pie plate. Use your fingers to press down so that the bottom and sides are evenly covered. That’s it – the filling can get poured in just like that!
Option #2: Almond Meal Crust
1/4 cup butter (4 tablespoons), melted
1 1/2 cups almond meal/flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon milk
Mix all of the ingredients right in the pie plate. Use your fingers to press down so that the bottom and sides are evenly covered. Bake at 350 for approximately 15 minutes until lightly brown. Let cool slightly and then add filling.
Filling
6 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2-1 cup cheese of your choice (optional)
1/2-1 cup veggie and/or meat of your choice (optional)
Whisk the eggs, milk, salt and pepper together. Sprinkle your fillings evenly over the bottom of your prepared crust. Pour the egg mixture over the fillings, and carefully place in a 350 degree oven. (If your quiche is very full, you may want to place on a baking sheet first just in case there are any spills). Bake for 30-40 minutes until the filling is set and the top of the quiche is starting to brown. Let sit for 5-10 minutes before slicing.
Serves 4-6
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The Simply Wholesome Kitchen 