Egg and Ham Pie
Makes one 9-inch quiche
Please do not be deterred by the pie dough part of the recipe. This cream cheese dough is much easier to roll out and work with than a butter-based shortcrust, which is the dough of choice for classic French quiches. The cream cheese crust is tender and delectable—so what if it’s not traditional? This dish only calls for half the recipe of pastry dough—make a second pie (feel free to riff on the filling) or freeze the other half for another day. You can make the pie ahead of time and reheat it in a 200ºF oven for 10 minutes.
INGREDIENTS
- ½ recipe Cream Cheese Pastry Dough (recipe follows)
- 2 cups grated Jarlsberg, Swiss, or Gruyère cheese
- 1 heaping cup diced ham
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cups half-and-half
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard or prepared Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- Couple dashes of hot sauce, such as Tabasco
- Grated Parmesan cheese, for sprinkling
- Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Roll the pastry dough into a 10- to 11-inch disc and press into a pie pan. Cut off the overhanging pieces and crimp the edge using your thumbs and forefingers. Scatter the Jarlsberg cheese over the bottom, and top with the ham.
- Whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, mustard, Worcestershire, and hot sauce in a bowl. Pour the mixture over the cheese and ham, stirring slightly to distribute the egg mixture through the cheese. Top with a little Parmesan and the grated nutmeg.
- Bake for 40 minutes. Tent the top edges with foil if the crust browns too much before the eggs set. Let rest for at least 30 minutes before cutting and serving.
PANTRY
Need help with the ingredients? Check our pantry list:
cook's note
Let It Rest: After all the work you put into your pie, it’s tempting to slice it into that golden, puffy, custard fresh out of the oven. Please resist. If you want a nice clean wedge, you must let the juices rest and the filling fully set—for at least 30 minutes (but preferably more). Otherwise, it’ll dissolve into a puddle of mush before your eyes.
