Ham and Cheese Quiche
Caramelized diced ham, green onions, and Cheddar cheese suspended in a rich, strained egg custard, baked in a blind-baked pie shell until puffed and golden.
- 1 pie crust (homemade or store-bought)
- 2 tablespoons canola or avocado oil
- 1/2 pound cubed or diced ham
- 1/4 cup green onions, sliced
- 1 tablespoon minced Italian parsley (optional)
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup half-and-half
- 1/4 cup crème fraîche (or sour cream)
- Pinch of kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup freshly grated Cheddar cheese
- Place a rack at the bottom of the oven and preheat to 400°F. Roll out the pie crust to about 12 inches in diameter and fit it into a 9-inch pie or tart dish, folding over and crimping the edges as desired.
- Transfer the dish to the freezer for at least 30 minutes. Remove, cover with nonstick aluminum foil, and add pie weights or dried beans on top to hold the crust in place. Blind bake on the bottom rack for 20 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, remove the weights and foil and set the crust aside.
- Lower the oven temperature to 375°F. Heat the oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the diced ham and cook until browned and caramelized, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add the green onions and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes until just barely softened. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley to wilt, if using, then set aside.
- Whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, crème fraîche, salt, and black pepper. Place a fine-mesh sieve over a medium mixing bowl, pour the custard through it, and whisk until all of the custard has filtered through — this strains out any bits of cooked egg white for an extra-smooth texture.
- Spread the ham mixture over the partially baked pie shell and sprinkle the Cheddar cheese evenly across the top. Pour the strained custard over everything.
- Bake on the bottom rack at 375°F for 25 minutes, or until the quiche is puffed and cooked through — the edges should be set, but the center should still have a slight jiggle to it. Once done, transfer to a cooling rack and let rest for 15 minutes before slicing.
Chef's Note: Straining the custard through a fine-mesh sieve is a small step that makes a real difference — it removes any stray bits of chalazae (the stringy part of the egg white) so the finished custard bakes up perfectly smooth and velvety instead of flecked. Blind baking the crust first, and freezing it beforehand, are both what keep the bottom from turning soggy once the wet custard goes in.
Watch for that slight jiggle in the center when checking doneness — a quiche that's completely still has usually gone slightly too far and will end up rubbery once it cools and finishes setting. Letting it rest for a full 15 minutes on a cooling rack before slicing gives the custard time to firm up, so you get clean slices instead of a runny center.
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