Description
Ina Garten’s breakfast quiche combines creamy eggs, crisp bacon, and sharp cheddar in a flaky pastry crust. Savory aromas and rich flavors make this classic dish perfect for weekend mornings when you want something elegant yet comforting.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 eggs (large)
- 1 cup gouda (aged, grated)
- ¾ cup half-and-half
- ½ cup ham (country, diced)
- 3 potatoes (new, sliced ¼-inch thick, about 1 ½ cups)
- 1 pie crust (9-inch, homemade or store-bought)
- 1 green onion (chopped)
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- 2–3 cups beans (dried, for pie weights)
- Vegetable oil (for poaching and sautéing)
Instructions
- Pie Crust Preparation: Perforate the pie crust with a fork in a 9-inch pie pan, creating small holes to prevent air pockets during baking.
- Blind Baking Technique: Cover the crust with parchment paper, fill with dried beans as weights, and bake at 350°F for 10 minutes. Remove beans and parchment carefully.
- Ham and Potato Sautéing: In a medium skillet, golden-brown country ham in vegetable oil, then cook sliced potatoes over low heat until tender. Drain and set aside.
- Custard Composition: Whisk eggs, half-and-half, kosher salt, and black pepper in a bowl until smooth and uniform.
- Layering and Assembly: Spread cooked potatoes across the pre-baked crust, top with browned ham, and sprinkle half the gouda cheese. Pour egg mixture evenly over the ingredients.
- Cheese and Garnish: Distribute remaining gouda cheese and chopped green onions across the quiche surface.
- Baking Process: Place quiche on the bottom oven rack and bake for 35-40 minutes until the top turns golden and the center is just set.
- Resting and Serving: Let the quiche rest for 10 minutes after removing from the oven to stabilize the filling and facilitate clean slicing.
Notes
- Blind Baking Brilliance: Pre-baking the crust with weights prevents a soggy bottom and ensures a crisp, flaky texture that holds up to moist fillings.
- Temperature Precision: Baking on the bottom rack helps create an evenly cooked quiche with a perfectly golden top and a set, creamy center.
- Resting Magic: Letting the quiche rest for 10 minutes after baking allows the custard to set completely, making slicing cleaner and preventing runny edges.
- Flavor Layering: Carefully building layers of potatoes, ham, and cheese ensures each bite is packed with delicious, well-distributed ingredients.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Lunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 16 g
- Cholesterol: 210 mg