broccoli cheddar quiche

Quiches are the ideal brunch food. One pan + eggs + cheese + whatever is in the meat or vegetable drawer of your fridge. It’s great for a crowd and pairs wonderfully with a bubbly mimosa. 

This particular quiche features my favorite homemade pie crust recipe. It’s the recipe I use for both sweet and savory dishes. I’m sure shortening is fine, but I really love an all-butter flaky crust. I usually make the crust the night before, wrap in Saran wrap and roll it out in the morning.

Or you can totally use your favorite store-bought crust. Makes this recipe even easier to throw together while in your PJs during weekend mornings. 

BROCCOLI CHEDDAR QUICHE

• Yields: One 9 in. quiche (apprx. 6 servings)

Ingredients:

For the crust:

• 1 1/4 cup unbleached, all purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter, cubed
• 1/4 cup water, with a few ice cubes in it

For the quiche:

• One 9 inch pie crust (homemade from above OR your favorite store bought)
• 3 Tbsp. butter
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 cups (apprx 2 heads) of fresh broccoli, chopped *heads only; discard the stems
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. To make the crust: *I usually do this the night before unless using store bought pie crust. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in the cubed, cold butter for about 5 minutes until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Stir in your ice water (ice cubes removed) a little bit at a time until the mixture forms into a ball. Wrap it in Saran Wrap, flatten into a 1 inch thick circle, and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight. Once chilled, roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to fit a 9 inch pie/cake pan. Press the dough into the pan and trim off any extra dough. I usually press a fork along the edges to make a crimped pattern along the edge. Using a fork, prick the dough all over before baking.
2. To make the quiche: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Pre-bake your quiche crust for 12-15 minutes until very lightly browned and then set aside to cool.
3. In a large skillet, melt your butter over medium heat and add the onions, garlic and broccoli. Cook for 5-7 minutes until the vegetables are soft and the onions are translucent.
4. In the bottom of your pan, press down half of the cheddar cheese into an even layer on top of the crust. Then spoon on the cooked vegetables.
5. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, pepper and the rest of the cheddar cheese. Pour this mixture over the cheese & vegetables. Bake for 30-40 minutes until the center is set. Allow to cool at room temperature for 5 minutes before cutting.