Ham and Cheese Quiche

The ham we cooked a few weeks ago is still making the rounds with eggs for breakfast, in sandwiches and even devilled as an appetizer. I love the fact that it freezes so well and recycles beautifully too. We never seem to get tired of it.

Now I don't know about you, but it's my opinion that leftover ham without cheese is like a kiss without a squeeze, so I combined the former two while settin' myself up for the latter two in a ham and cheese pie also known as a quiche. Hey Big Guy won't eat quiche so I tell him it's a pie. 

I use the same basic custard recipe I've developed over the years and adjusted it to fit a partially baked 9 inch pie shell. It's just a combination of eggs, plain yogurt or sour cream, and half and half seasoned with salt, pepper, cayenne, Dijon mustard and a touch of nutmeg. Poured on top of a little finely minced onion, tiny cubes of ham and cubes of cheese - Emmanthal and Gruyere this time, the result is a light, cheesy creamy addictive excuse for dinner.

I know I've mentioned this before but it bears repeating - cube up the cheese rather than grating it and you'll end up with a much lighter textured pie because the custard surrounds the cheese cubes and as it cooks, the melted cheese ends up dispersed throughout the pie instead of in one gluey globby layer. 

Along with a nice bright and cheerful spinach salad loaded with gorgonzola, toasted almonds, scallions and dried cranberries, it was a totally satisfying light dinner that could be just as fabulous on the menu for brunch or lunch. 

Ham and Swiss Quiche an original from JBug’s Kitchen

Pastry for a 9 inch single crust pie

1/4 cup finely minced onion

1 cup ham cut into quarter inch cubes

6 ounces cheese cut into quarter inch cubes (I used a combination of Emmanthal & Gruyere)

4 eggs

1 cup half and half

2/3 cup plain yogurt or sour cream

1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Dash cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Freshly grated nutmeg

Preheat oven to 425. Arrange pastry in a 9 pie dish, flute edges and prick all over bottom of pie shell with a fork. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until lightly golden brown. Remove to a wire rack and cool. Reduce oven temperature to 375.

Whisk together eggs, half and half, yogurt (or sour cream), salt, pepper, cayenne pepper and Dijon mustard until well combined.

Arrange ham cubes in bottom of cooled crust. Top with onion and cheese cubes, spreading out evenly. Pour custard over top and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Remove to a wire rack and dust with freshly grated nutmeg. Allow to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Makes 6 servings.

A year ago - Irish Potato Cakes (Boxty)

Two year's ago -  BBQ Brisket

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Comments

[Lea]

Oh, my - what a fabulous ham and cheese pie!!!!! I want some, please!

[June]

Thanks Lea. Love the darn things - course cheese and bacon's not bad either. Ha.

[Shaun]

Mmm quiche lorraine, I love it, dont get the whole 'men dont eat quiche' thing, whats not to like, savoury pastry, bubbly cheese and cream, I add some defrosted frozen spinach and thin slices of jarred roasted red peppers to mine, do a greek salad of lettuce,rocket,feta and sliced pimento stuffed olives and a bowl of wafer thin fries with sea salt...I'm big and hairy and I love quiche...Lol

[June]

Spinach and roasted red peppers sound like a great idea to me but you know who might nix the spinach. As for the big and hairy, you'd be keeping him good company AND we wouldn't have to worry about leftover quiche either.

[Lorraine]

That is one beautiful "pie"! We eat quiche around here with no lip curling at all.

[June]

Lorraine -I think Big Guy moans about it just to get a rise outa' me. He certainly doesn't mind eating the stuff.