Even little hands can pitch in to make this simple yet elegant dish, which works just as well for breakfast as it does a lazy, early-afternoon brunch. This recipe pairs cheddar with fresh chives, but any fresh herbs — parsley, thyme or marjoram — would be equally delicious. If you’re looking to add even more green, add 4 cups of cooked chopped fresh broccoli florets or swap Gruyere for the cheddar and stir in 1 pound of asparagus (trimmed and sliced on bias into 1/4-inch-thick pieces).
Serve with a tossed green salad and mimosas and you’re celebrating!
Simple Cheese Quiche
8 large eggs
2 cups half-and-half
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
4 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup)
1 Tbsp. minced fresh chives
1 recipe single-crust pie dough (homemade or store-bought), partially baked and still warm
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk eggs, half-and-half, salt and pepper together in large bowl. Stir in cheddar and chives. Transfer filling to 4-cup liquid measuring cup.
Place warm pie shell on rimmed baking sheet and place in oven. Carefully pour egg mixture into warm shell until it reaches about 1/2 inch from top of edge of crust (you may have extra). You want the crust warm so that the quiche will bake evenly.
Bake quiche until top is lightly browned, center is set but soft, and knife inserted about 1 inch from edge comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes. Let quiche cool for at least 1 hour or up to 3 hours. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
To make ahead: Let baked quiche cool completely, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 6 hours.
Serves 6 to 8.
— “The Complete Vegetarian Cookbook” by The Editors at America’s Test Kitchen (March 2015, $29.95)
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