Pick your crust, then create this tasty, no-fail quiche

Mary Corcoran, a psychologist, management consultant and teacher, loves to cook. She and her husband, Jeff Donahue, live in Kansas City. Their two grown sons live in the metro area. She was a contributing freelance writer to the business section of The Kansas City Star for many years.

Q: How did you learn to cook?

A: I have always enjoyed cooking. My sisters and I learned to cook as children, so when growing up, we often cooked and prepared dinner. I remember a friend and I experimenting with recipes when we were in the seventh grade.

Learning to cook better was always important for me so I referred to many cookbooks. At first, I used “The Joy of Cooking” and “Fannie Farmer.” I also enjoyed the “Silver Palate Cookbook” and all of the books by Ina Garten.

Q: Do you cook often?

A: I typically cook dinner five times a week, so we eat at home frequently. Even when I lived alone, I cooked a couple of times a week.

I like to entertain and love to try new recipes. I host my book club twice a year plus host an annual open house during the holidays, so I cook for those occasions.

Q: What advice can you share for those learning to cook?

A: Be fearless, then begin with a good recipe. Cooking is a learning experience, and you learn something new every time you cook.

Q: What recipe are you sharing?

A: This quiche recipe is an easy no-fail recipe. It is perfect for a busy day, as I typically have the necessary ingredients on hand. The recipe lists Swiss or Gruyere cheese, but you can substitute other kinds of cheese if you wish.

It is a great recipe to use when you have leftover roasted or steamed vegetables in the refrigerator. Just add the cooked vegetables to the quiche before baking and you have a delicious vegetable quiche.

Q: Why did you list two kinds of crust?

A: The pastry brisee is a classic, all-butter pastry. Since I often cook gluten free, I shared the recipe for the Keto crust as it is gluten free. Either crust works well so you can choose which you prefer.

Cheese Quiche

Makes 1 quiche (6 servings)

Short crust pastry (Pastry Brisse) pastry or Keto crust (see below)

1 tablespoon butter

½ cup chopped green onions

6 to 8 ounces Swiss or Gruyere cheese, shredded or cubed

3 eggs, beaten

1½ cups heavy cream

Salt and pepper, to taste

Grated nutmeg

Prepare and partially bake the crust as directed. Set the crust aside.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Sauté green onions in the butter, stirring frequently, until the onions are tender. Sprinkle the onions over the bottom of the crust. Spread the shredded or cubed cheese evenly over the onions.

In a mixing bowl, mix the beaten eggs with the cream and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg; blend well. Pour the egg mixture over the cheese.

Bake the quiche for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. and bake another 10 to 15 minutes or until a knife comes out clean. Serve hot or very chilled.

Short crust pastry (Pastry Brisee)

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

Pinch salt, to taste

2/3 cup (10 2/3 tablespoons) butter

Sift together flour, sugar, and salt into a mixing bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or your fingers until mixture resembles coarse sand. Work into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for an hour or up to 2 days.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Press the pastry into a buttered 9-inch pie dish until you have a smooth crust of even thickness. Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove the crust from the oven and allow to cool. Proceed as the quiche recipe directs.

Keto crust

1¾ cups almond flour

¼ cup coconut flour

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Pinch sea salt or coarse kosher salt

1/3 cup avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons water

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9-inch pie pan or quiche pan.

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients. Dough will be crumbly. Press the dough evenly into the pie plate and up the sides of the plate about 1 to 1¼ inches. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the crust from the oven and allow to cool. Proceed as the quiche recipe directs.

Do you want to nominate someone to be featured in Come Into My Kitchen? Maybe a friend, neighbor, sibling or even yourself? Email us at KCComeIntoMyKitchen@gmail.com

Roxanne Wyss and Kathy Moore are cookbook authors and food consultants that make up The Electrified Cooks. They have published over fourteen cookbooks and thousands of recipes. They are members of Les Dames d’Escoffier and blog at pluggedintocooking.com .

This story was originally published February 18, 2020 at 9:00 AM.