Ham and Cheese Quiche

For Father's Day.

Just a thought.

We love quiche around here, ok, let me rephrase that....

Christian and I love quiche around here. I am always trying to get Enzo to eat it but he won't eat anything that has vegetables in it (I swear I'm working on it) so spinach quiche, or quiche with mushrooms, or better yet spinach and mushroom quiche will just make him throw up. Appetizing thought, no?

So I made a quiche that has ham and cheese, That's it. Just creamy gouda and smoked ham. No onions. No green thing. No soft mushrooms. And I think it was the best quiche I have ever made. Don't tell Enzo I'm disclousing this info, he'll throw it in my face the next time we argue about his food choices.

Anyway, I'm thinking of making this quiche again for Father's Day. The only problem is that we're already doing a huge BBQ for lunch. Maybe eating ham, eggs, and cheese pre-BBQ is a little over the top. 

Or maybe it's just perfect.

Ham and Cheese Quiche

Pastry

• 1 cup flour
• 1/3 cup salted butter
• 4 tablespoons cold water

Filling

• 1/2 cup sliced ham
• 1 cup shredded Gouda
• 4 large eggs
• 2 cups heavy cream
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat 425*
2. Make Pastry. Mix all ingredients in a food processor and blend until a firm ball of dough forms. Let chill  in the fridge for 30 minutes.
3. While the pastry dough is in the fridge make the filling. Beat eggs slightly in a large bowl with whisk. Beat in heavy cream. Add the ham, cheese, salt, and pepper and mix lightly.
4. Press the pastry dough on a 11 inch round pan.
5. Pour the filling into the pan.
6. Bake for 15 minutes.
7. Reduce oven temperature to 300* and bake for 30 minutes longer.
8. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Observations:

I finally figured out how to get the texture I wanted with quiche once I realized that I needed to turn down the heat after 15 minutes. It really makes a huge difference. This recipe is very creamy, but firm. The gouda gives a smooth touch. You could substitute the gouda for another kind of cheese like swiss or a mexican blend.

Enjoy!