Originally published on September 19, 2014
To make a really good quiche, it needs to meet three criteria: it needs to be creamy, it needs height, and it’s got to have a crust. Let’s face it. “Crustless Quiche” may have had its day, but it has come and gone. This dish meets all of my self-made criteria. Ricotta and cream ensure that even after it’s fully cooked it will still be creamy when you cut into it, and that buttery pie crust brings everything together (not to mention makes it a quiche and not an egg bake.) Beating the eggs to their ultimate finish is easiest to do in a stand mixer, but if you don’t have one use a whisk or a hand mixer and just make sure to beat the heck out of them.
Ingredients:
1 pie crust, rolled and placed into a pie dish
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced or grated
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
2 cups cooked chicken, cut into bite-size pieces
1 cup zucchini, grated with moisture squeezed out
2 small tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
1/2 cup fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup mozzarella, Havarti, or Monterey Jack cheese, grated
4 eggs
3/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup milk
4 slices bacon, cut in half and par-cooked (not crispy)
Salt
Pepper
Directions:
1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2.) Melt the butter in a skillet set over medium heat and then add the onion and garlic. Saute for about 5 minutes, until the onion is soft. Add the rosemary and the dill, season with salt and pepper and stir while cooking for about one minute (this allows the fresh herbs to bloom and flavour the dish.) Remove from heat.
3.) Add chicken, zucchini, tomatoes, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, and onion/garlic mixture into a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and combine all ingredients thoroughly. Taste, and adjust seasoning if necessary.
4.) In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat eggs very well until they are quite frothy. Add the cream and the milk and continue beating for another minute. Season with salt and pepper and beat again for another minute. Add the egg mixture to the bowl with the other ingredients and mix thoroughly.
5.) Pour egg mixture into the prepared pie crust. Add the bacon slices around the surface of the quiche.
6.) Place the quiche into the oven and bake for 60 minutes, until it is cooked through but the centre still has a bit of jiggle to it. When done, remove the quiche from the oven and let it sit for about 10 minutes before slicing into it and serving.
7.) Serve and enjoy!