Ingredients

• • 4 large eggs
  • 1 3/4 cups of milk, cream or a mixture of the two
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon of pepper (2 grinds, if you're using a pepper mill)
  • 1 teaspoon butter
  • 1/4 cup bread crumbs
  • 1 cup shredded cheese
  • 3/4 cup cooked vegetables or meat, cut into bite-size pieces

Directions

• Heat the oven to 400 F.

  Crack the eggs into a large glass or metal bowl. Gently tilt the bowl back and forth to check for any pieces of shell that need to be removed. Add the milk or cream, salt and pepper to the bowl. Whisk the mixture until it's smooth and pale yellow, or about 30 seconds.

  Use clean fingers to rub the butter all over the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie pan. Pour the bread crumbs into the pan and rotate the pan until the crumbs are evenly distributed over the butter. Sprinkle the vegetables or meat and 1/2 cup of the cheese into the pan in even layers. Slowly pour the egg mixture into the pan until it's about 3/4 of the way full. Scatter the rest of the cheese on top.

  Bake the quiche for 30 minutes. Test its doneness by inserting the tip of a sharp knife in the center. The quiche is done when the knife comes out without any egg stuck to it. Bake it for additional five-minute increments until it is done. A perfectly baked quiche is lightly browned on top and jiggles slightly. An overbaked quiche will be dry and rubbery.

Prepping Vegetables

• If you use vegetables with a high water content, your dish may turn out soppy. In a crustless quiche, it will pool at the bottom of the pan and seep out of individual slices. Avoid too much moisture by removing excess liquid from the vegetables before adding them to the quiche. Seed tomatoes, squeeze the water out of sauteed spinach, and pat cooked broccoli and zucchini dry with paper towels.

Possible Variations

• • Ham and cheese is a traditional quiche combination. It's a variation on the classic French dish called Quiche Lorraine, which is made with shredded Gruyere cheese and cooked lardons, or small sticks of pork fat. Cubed ham or chopped bacon pairs well with cheddar, Swiss or Gruyere cheeses.
  • A simple cheese quiche is a decadent dish. Use a total of about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of cheese. Mix strong and mild varieties together; for instance, use smoked Gouda and mild cheddar.
  • Caramelize onions and leeks, and combine them with spinach and Swiss.
  • Stir a few tablespoons of pesto into the egg mixture and use mozzarella cheese and tomatoes as your fillings.
  • Seafood, crumbled sausage, leftover veggies or a combination of black beans, corn and cheddar can all go into a crustless quiche.

Serving and Storing

• Let a finished quiche cool for about 10 minutes to allow it to set. Cut slices and remove them from the pan with a pie server, or use a large spoon to scoop quiche onto a plate. Eat the slices hot or cold. Refrigerate leftovers right away, and consume leftover quiche within three to four days.