# Ham & Swiss Quiche



## JustMeToo (Dec 25, 2008)

I make this often and it always is a hit. I switch it up but using all cheddar cheese or half swiss, half cheddar. I also have added green pepper. Great for breakfast, dinner with a salad or just a snack.


QUICHE - HAM AND SWISS CHEESE 
5 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 lb. Swiss cheese, cubed
1 c. milk
Dash nutmeg
1 (9 inch) pie crust
1/2 lb. ham, cubed
Line pie pan with crust. Fill it with the ham and cheese, alternating layers. (This can be done ahead and refrigerated.) When ready to bake, mix together remaining ingredients and pour into crust. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 45 minutes or until knife inserted into center of quiche comes out clean. Serves 6-8.


I personally do not add the nutmeg only because I am not a fan of it in anything.


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## Alana (Dec 25, 2008)

Looks great. Have you tried adding chopped asparagus or diced mushrooms to it to try something different?


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## dave the baker (Dec 26, 2008)

Saute the mushrooms first!  The variations on quiche could fill volumes.  I had a quiche business a number of years ago and responded to all sorts of different additions.  Keep is simple, just a few ingredients and you'll always have a tasty product.


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## JustMeToo (Dec 26, 2008)

I agree with you to keep it simple!


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## sattie (Dec 26, 2008)

Sounds good, although I have never had quiche.


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## JustMeToo (Dec 26, 2008)

sattie, try it.  It is so simple to make and just have on hand.  You can get up, slice a piece, pop it in the microwave and you have breakfast.  Let me know if you make one.


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## sattie (Dec 26, 2008)

Yea, I may have to give this a whirl... so you use a regular pie crust?

Ok... don't answer that, I just re read your post.  Sounds tooo easy!!!  Thanks for sharing!


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## JustMeToo (Dec 26, 2008)

Yes, I buy the ready-made, Pillsbury.  I am not a big fan of swiss, so I mix swiss with cheddar.


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## sattie (Dec 26, 2008)

Ok!  I plan on having one by this weekend sometime... so I'll let ya know how it turns out!


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## JustMeToo (Dec 26, 2008)

Good luck with it.  You will be surprised how easy it is.


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## Luvs2Cook (Dec 26, 2008)

Sattie I can't believe you've never had a quiche. I make this recipe at least once a month and you can add so many different variations to it. I prefer the 'swiss' with it and have also changed it using sausage, bacon, tomatoes, chopped fresh spinach, or whatever is in the fridge.
Great recipe. I can't wait to hear how you liked your first 'quiche'!


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## Wyogal (Dec 26, 2008)

I just had a quiche for brunch... used sauteed onions, diced ham (leftover), frozen spinach (quick thawed under water, squeezed dry, chopped),combination of shredded cheddar and an Italian blend (was leftover, in the fridge)...
mmm...


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## sattie (Dec 26, 2008)

Luvs2Cook said:


> Sattie I can't believe you've never had a quiche. I make this recipe at least once a month and you can make many variations to it. I prefer the 'swiss' with it but have used sausage, bacon, tomatoes, chopped fresh spinach, or whatever is in the fridge.
> Great recipe. I can't wait to hear how you liked your first 'quiche'!


 
Sad to say.... never had a quiche, or if I did, I had no clue I was eating one.  But it does sound wonderful... specially since you can taylor it to your liking.  I'm looking forward to bakin one up for myself!


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## JustMeToo (Dec 26, 2008)

Sounds yummy Wyogal.  With whatever you decide to add, just be sure that it is not something that contains  liquid.  Like you said, "squeese dry" the spinach.   It will definitely ruin the quiche.


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## Luvs2Cook (Dec 26, 2008)

I use the 'bagged' fresh spinach leaves you get in the salad aisles..... Just chop up a of the leaves and it works well.


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## JustMeToo (Dec 26, 2008)

Fresh Spinach works great.


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## dave the baker (Dec 26, 2008)

Sattie:  For the best (not the easiest) crust, use pate brise.  It bakes up so good I even use it for my fruit pies.  

Food Processor Method

1 3/4 C Flour,
8 Tbsp COLD Butter,
1/4 tsp Salt,
6 - 8 Tbsp ICE Water

In the processor wiz the flour and salt; add Butter in small pieces and process 10 seconds, pulsing on and off.  Add water, starting with 5 Tbsp and pulse.  Add additional water as needed and process till dough forms ball on top of blade.  By hand work into a ball and wrap in plastic; refrigerate 1 hour.  Roll out while cold, place in pie tin or quiche form.  Line with non-stick foil and dry beans or crust weights.  Prebake 10 min at 350F, then fill and bake your quiche whenever you want.  A little more work, but worth it.


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## Toots (Dec 26, 2008)

This sounds good - I might try this Sunday with some of my leftover ham. I usually make an asparagus/swiss & bacon quiche that even my picky husband will eat.  I love quiche and fritatta type dishes.


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## sattie (Dec 26, 2008)

dave the baker said:


> Sattie: For the best (not the easiest) crust, use pate brise. It bakes up so good I even use it for my fruit pies.
> 
> Food Processor Method
> 
> ...


 
I was thinking of doing this since I don't buy pie crusts.  Thanks DtheB!


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## scoobagirl (Dec 29, 2008)

JustMeToo, do you prebake your pie crust? 

I made this today and had a bit of trouble with sogginess. Not bad - just not quite as firm as I wanted it to be, even baking it an extra 10 minutes. 

I put the crust in a 10" quiche dish. I put the chopped ham in on top of the crust, then put in some sauteed peppers, onions, and garlic (well drained), then a layer of very thin slices of zucchini and topped with 2 handfuls of shredded cheese. I mixed the 5 eggs and 1 c milk, and s&p and poured all over the veggies, ham, and cheese and baked at 350 for a total of 60 minutes (after checking at 45 & 55 minutes and it was not knife-clean in the middle). I let it "set" at room temp for about an hour before cutting it. 

Just wondered if you have any tips for getting it to set up "firmer" - in case it matters we are at about 3500' elevation... ?


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## dave the baker (Dec 29, 2008)

Blind bake (pre-bake) your crust to eliminate the sogginess problem. Line your crust with non-stick foil, fill with dried beans (for weight) and bake 10 min at 350 F or 375 F. Remove from oven, remove foil and beans (save beans to use again and again), put back in oven for another 5 minutes or so. These baking times will vary from one oven to another; experimentation is the best school for this.

You might also want to start baking your filled quiche at 400 F for 20 min and then reduce heat to 350 to finish (30 min or so). Get an oven thermometer to keep track of your oven's actual heat; and always pre-heat to the desired temp before baking!


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## JustMeToo (Dec 29, 2008)

Scoobagirl, no I do not prebake the crust. The first time I made this I did experience sogginess, so the next time I made it i put the ham in a frypan to get some of the water out of it. Then it came out great. I am wondering if the zucchini had to much liquid in it?  Also, I use a glass pie dish.


scoobagirl said:


> JustMeToo, do you prebake your pie crust?
> 
> I made this today and had a bit of trouble with sogginess. Not bad - just not quite as firm as I wanted it to be, even baking it an extra 10 minutes.
> 
> ...


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## Katie H (Dec 29, 2008)

You could also brush your pie crust with egg white before you add your ingredients.


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## scoobagirl (Dec 29, 2008)

ok, thanks - great suggestions everyone. I will be trying these next time! 

(I had wondered if the ham was too moist; the zuke was pretty dried out) and I will definitely check the oven temp and try pre-baking the crust.


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## sattie (Dec 29, 2008)

I like the discussion... all the kinks should be worked out by the time I make my quiche!!


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## Aria (Dec 30, 2008)

*This thread was helpful*

I was thinking....what to do with all the leftover ham.  Solution.
And thanks for all the suggestions.   

I do have a recipe for Quiche without the crust.  Thanks for the crust recipe Dave-the-baker.   

Will mae a Quiche today.  Thanks again, Aria


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## dave the baker (Dec 30, 2008)

Enjoy, Ladies.   You also might want to try a Cheddar, Broccoli, bacon (or diced ham) Quiche.  Quiche also freezes well, a slice at a time, double wrapped.


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## Jeekinz (Dec 30, 2008)

Can I use a pastry sheet as a crust or no?


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## dave the baker (Dec 30, 2008)

I shouldn't think so.  Oh!  Do you mean puff pastry and not a metal pastry (cookie) sheet?


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## dave the baker (Dec 30, 2008)

If so, I suppose.  I've never tired it as it may puff too much.


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## Jeekinz (Dec 30, 2008)

Can I use a puff pastry sheet as the pie crust?

I'm not a baker, but the DW has these perfectly flat sheets that look like they might fit the pie pan.


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## sattie (Dec 30, 2008)

It seems like you would be able to.  I'm no quiche expert, but it would seem that you could prepare it just like Dave explained, put the beans or what not in the pan and bake before loading it up with the goodies.  Heck, if you try it and it works, let me know!


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## dave the baker (Dec 30, 2008)

It's going to puff up quite a bit; I don't know if it will work or not, but please let me know either way.  The pate brisee I recommended is a tamer version of the puff pastry.  Both are butter crusts.  The pate has lumps of butter throughout while the paste has layers of butter interspersed with layers of the flour, so you get a bigger "explosion" between the layers of flour; ergo the "puff".  It's akin to making croisants, only it's flat.  I'm really interested in how it works.  (it's also alot more expensive!)

Dave


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## Jeekinz (Dec 30, 2008)

I'll give it a shot.  Thanks.


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## Walt Bulander (Dec 30, 2008)

Even easier: Skip the crust! Just be sure the pie pan (mine is Pyrex) is well greased.

You can even do it on top of the stove in a non stick frying pan, like a Spanish tortilla. I fry bacon and potatoes with a little onion, add 4 beaten eggs and cook for a while. If I'm feeling brave, I make sure everything has released from the pan, and flip it! (Non braves just put the whole thing under the broiler to cook the top.)

Other ingredients to try: Diced ham or chorizo, roasted red peppers, peas, asparagus, cooked mushrooms, cheese, etc.


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## dave the baker (Dec 30, 2008)

Walt:  You just described a Fritatta.  Quiche is a custard.


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## scoobagirl (Dec 30, 2008)

your frittata sounds good. It would certainly beat the soggy crust on my quiche. 

Isn't it wonderful though, how the ingredients can go different directions?


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