Baby leeks, fresh rosemary, sage, and chives suspended in tender custard, encased in flaky pastry. Is it a quiche or heaven on earth?
Let me this to you gently. You may want to sit down. This is not actually a TART. It’s a QUICHE. You remember what a quiche is, right?
Quiche is one of those unfortunate classic dishes that while enjoying a heyday in the 1970’s, riding the French culinary wave that swept America, finally flagged under the weight of overexposure bordering on hysteria, to become the antithesis of the nouvelle cuisine that hit the country near the end of that same decade.
Almost overnight, quiche disappeared from every restaurant menu across the country, and even faithful home cooks abandoned it. The popular refrain, “Real men don’t eat quiche,” gave it the taint of sissy food, whatever that is.
Not that it doesn’t exist as a concept anymore; it’s just that for a while there, serious foodies no longer uttered the word “quiche” among their peers for fear of social disapproval. Ah, what a sad plight it was. Something like discarding your favorite, much-loved, much-worn tweed jacket, because it’s no longer considered fashionable.
There is more than a small measure of hypocrisy to this snobbery; I’ve noted with surreptitious glee over the years that food writers, cookbook authors, and the like have taken their ordinary quiche recipes and retitled them as tarts, flans, savory custards, or just plain, old-fashioned pies. To think, respectability can be conferred by a mere name. This is the first time I’ve done this, however, and it’s just to make a point.
So let me stake my ground here. To my palate, there is never going to be anything less than outrageously delicious about a savory custard encased in a light, buttery pastry. Call it what you will. I cannot abandon this gorgeous, soul warming dish.
Nevertheless, I’m not suggesting that you serve QUICHE at an important brunch or luncheon affair–unless you are a total free spirit and don’t give a fig about what others think and if so, bravo! There are, unfortunately, those haughty people who may fault you for it. Instead, savor this quiche privately with your family and close friends, with whom such considerations are irrelevant.
Or call it a TART, and be prepared for applause.
The Secret to Perfect Quiche Every Time
I did a lot of research on the techniques underlying perfect pastry and perfect custard after being served one too many poor examples of both in restaurants and cooking schools. Tough pastry and watery, separated or grainy custard are NOT what quiche is supposed to be about.
The pastry lesson now has a post of its own, but I will tell you here the critical thing I learned about making perfect custard. Are you ready?
DO NOT heat the eggs past the point that they are no longer capable of holding the liquid in suspension. Temperature and timing are critical to the success of the custard. If the custard is over baked, it will turn granular and separate, leaving pools of liquid that ooze out when you cut it.
To prevent this dastardly misstep, remove the quiche from the oven when the center indentation is 3-4 inches in diameter. You will have to experiment with your particular quiche pan to see exactly how large this indentation should be. (I used to think that the surface of a custard must be fully “puffed” or convex in appearance before it could be pronounced DONE. This is a mistake that a great many cooks make. Watch for the diminishing center indentation, stop at 3-4 inches (which you determined to be perfect on the last bake), and you’ll be fine. The custard continues to cook and set even after it is removed from the oven.
Note from the pictures above, that my indentation was a bit too large for this size quiche pan. I couldn’t recall the exact dimension I used on the previous bake, so I guessed. My quiche should have been left in the oven for 5-8 minutes longer (thus making the indentation smaller). I made a note to this effect on the bottom of the quiche pan insert, so next time, I’ll get it perfect. In any case, it’s better to under bake slightly than to over bake. Eggs in a custard base are safe to eat at 160°. A cooked custard should test no higher than 180°, at which point it will curdle.
The Magic Pan with the Removable Bottom
Metal tart pans with removable bottoms are standard baking containers for quiche. They come in several types and a large variety of sizes. There is one that is very shallow, less than 1-inch deep, and another that is almost 2-inches deep. The deeper one allows for more filling goodies in the custard base, and is the one I most frequently use.
After the quiche is baked, you simply rest it on a stable object of smaller diameter than the quiche pan bottom and let the outside rim fall off. (A bit of careful prying will be necessary if the custard has leaked.) The quiche is then placed on an appropriate serving platter, free-standing.
Or you may prefer to use a white ceramic quiche dish, in which case, the tart stays in the dish, rather than being unmolded. A flexible spatula will be of assistance in removing the first slice. Regular pie pans may also be used for making quiche, although, unless you have something very special, they are the least attractive choice. The pan size indicated here typically measures 10-inches at the top and 9-inches at the bottom.
To accommodate smaller or shallower quiche pans, diminish the ingredient proportions accordingly; don’t worry about being exact, anything in the general range of 1 egg to ½ cup cream will work.
Baby Leek, Cheddar & Rosemary Tart
This quiche is pure heaven! The fresh herbs are magical with the baby leeks.
9- to 10-inch, deep-dish, partially prebaked Quick & Easy, Flaky, All Butter, Short-Crust Pastry(4-6 cup capacity)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium-large leeks, trimmed and sliced crosswise (white and light green portions only) (4 cups sliced)
2 teaspoons, peeled, minced garlic
3 tablespoons finely minced fresh chives
2 teaspoons finely minced fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon finely minced fresh sage
4 large eggs
2 cups cream (or half and half)
3 ounces grated, aged cheddar (about 2 loosely packed cups)
1 ounce finely grated Parmesan (about 1/3 cup)
sea salt, to taste
freshly ground white pepper, to taste
- Allow the pastry (in the pan) to cool on a wire rack.
- In a large sauté pan, melt the butter and slowly cook the leek and garlic until translucent and tender, without browning.
- Add the chives, rosemary, and sage, and remove from the heat.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs just enough to smooth them. Whisk in the cream, and season well with salt and pepper. Taste to make sure the seasoning is adequate.
- Combine the cheeses, and then sprinkle a little of the mixture over the bottom of the pastry shell (melting it quickly under a broiler if you like, to help ensure a crisp bottom crust), and then evenly distribute the leek mixture over the top.
- Pour the custard over the leek mixture, taking care not to overfill it. Leave ¼- to ½-inch top edge clearance. (If there is custard remaining, fill a ramekin or two and bake in a bain-marie at a later time.)
- Sprinkle the top of the quiche with the remaining cheese mixture, and bake at 350° for about 40 minutes.
- Cool the quiche slightly on a wire rack, allowing at least 10 minutes of set-up time before cutting. (Actually, quiche tastes best when cooled just a bit.)
- Remove the rim of the quiche pan and cut into eight wedges to serve. (Because of the delicacy of the pastry, I find it better to cut through the top edge with a serrated bread knife, changing to a flat-bladed knife to finish the bottom of each slice. This way the pastry does not break or shatter.
Serves 6-8.
More LunaCafe Savory Pies & Tarts
- Baby Greens, Green Garlic & Garlic Chive Tarts
- Baby Leek, Cheddar & Rosemary Tart
- Quick & Easy, Flaky, All Butter, Short-Crust Pastry
- Savory Apple Tart with Onion, Cheddar & Blue Cheese
- Yakima Valley Artichoke Appetizer
Cookin’ with Gas (inspiration from around the web)
Copyright 2015-2022 Susan S. Bradley. All rights reserved.
Yum this look so tasty! Would make a great dish for Easter brunch.
Krystle, thank you. and you’re so right. These would be perfect for Easter brunch. 🙂
I will never forget the first time I ate quiche. I had never been served it at home, and I suppose had somehow inherited my attitude toward it unknowingly–it was the mid 80s and I was in my mid teens. A friend served those baby quiches they sell frozen at Costco. I said I don’t like quiche. She asked had I tried it lol. Well no. Yeah I think I ate their entire box. And never lived it down.
This looks great!
Laura, LOL! I’ve never tried those. I always have frozen pastry dough (homemade of course) on hand, so making a quiche is one of the quickest and most delicious dinners I know.
Is the crust to be pre-baked? If so, please provide recommended temperature and time.
Thank you
Janet, thanks for stopping by! The recipe specifies: 9- to 10-inch, deep-dish, partially prebaked Quick & Easy, Flaky, All Butter, Short-Crust Pastry(4-6 cup capacity) and links to the recipe for the pastry crust.Temperature and time are specified there.
Hah, didn’t realize it had a name. We call it “instant breakfast” because we bake four of them , cut into serving size pieces, wrap individually and freeze or keep in the frig. We make it with 1)veggies, usually fine chopped garlic and shallots, maybe onions, spinach, kale, zuchs , mushrooms or ?, sausage or bacon. The previous is cooked (sauteed?) in a shallow pan in olive oil to start in the order listed on the stove top. It is done when all the released liquid from the veggies is boiled away. Caramelizing the garlic, shallots and onions with or without the meat before adding the veggies that release liquid is, in my opinion, a great taste improvement. Getting all the liquid out of the veggies before combining with the cheese and egg mixture makes this so much simpler. We then combine shredded cheese or cheese combination with sour cream and eggs. Proportions vary widely and determine what the final consistency of the filling is like. We then cook until nearly done, done or dead (that’s when we forget them in the oven) Never had a problem with separating, soggy or grainy. Can always pick it up and eat it in hand while driving to work. I know serious cooks would never stoop to so unprofessional an approach, but if you just want a good breakfast to grab and go… Oh I shouldn’t admit this but we use PetRitz frozen pie crust.
Ellen, LOL! Once you really understand the mechanics of a dish, it really does feel like you are just throwing it together. And yes, then it turns out perfect every time. You may not realize it, but your subconscious has taken over, and you are using our senses to gauge the process along the way. You “just know” when the quiche is baked to perfection. Bravo for mastering quiche! 🙂
I vote for “heaven on earth.” Looks amazing!!!
Oh wow! That looks amazing! I wish I could have a slice for breakfast!
I first ate quiche in England and that was what I knew so I will stick to quiche. Thanks for sharing!
Michelle, I can still remember the first time I tasted quiche. I was around 21 and working as an assistant buyer at Nordstrom in downtown Seattle. A French café had just opened nearby, and I dragged MauiJim over there for lunch one day. I ordered the quiche, which was made with Gruyere and bacon. My life hasn’t been the same since. 🙂
This looks seriously fantastic, and so perfect for spring. I love quiches and this is a wonderful flavor combination!
Nothing like a good quiche, great option for any meal. Thanks for sharing your secrets =)
Adriana, a pleasure as always. Hope you enjoy it. 🙂
Thank you, thank you, thank you for this information!! I made my first tart the other day and the custard was so soggy! I thought it was because of the zuchinni. Maybe that was also an indicator? Totally clueless. I will try again keeping in mind the size of the indentation.
Amnah, yes, zucchini releases quite a bit of moisture on sitting or when cooked. However, there is quite a bit of leeway here in the proportion of the eggs to the liquid, so the zucchini factor alone should not be an issue. I am assuming you didn’t use an inordinate amount. 🙂 If you stick with the custard specificed in the recipe and make the quiche a few times over the next year, you will soon discover the perfect indentation size for your oven, pan, etc. And after you perfect this, you will want to serve quiche all the time.; it’s that good. 🙂
Oh dear, however do I make your crust? Can I just take the chocolate out of your chocolate tarts’ crust?
Oh darn, I have been meaning to post my pastry crust, which is out of this world flakey and tender. I use 6 tablspoons very cold unsalted butter per cup of all-purpose flour. Cut the butter into pieces and then on a clean countertop, toss it with the flour to coat well. Now, using a heavy rolling pin, roll over the butter to create thin sheets, tossing is frequently with the flour. Gather into a mound and do this again. Repeat for a third time, sprinkle with 1-3 tablespoons ice water to bind, and gather into a ball. Flatten between sheets of plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Roll out on a floured pastry cloth with a cloth covered rolling pin. I promise this will be the flakiest pie crust you have ever eaten. I’ll post sometime soon with more complete instructions.
My cousin recommended this blog and she was totally right keep up the fantastic work!
Hi! I’m hoping to make this quiche for a dinner party this weekend and your crust looks delectable! Will you be posting LunaCafe’s Flakey Short-Crust Pastry anytime soon? Thank you!
The concept to look for the “indentation” on a quiche is very interesting! I’m still learning how to make quiche as I first thought it was sooooooo simple and easy, who wouldn’t be abe to make quiche???! But I quickly learned from a few times that I made quiche that it is a pretty tricky dish, deserving pages of notes/ tips/ recommedations/ lesson learned, etc.!
Thanks for posting this wonderful recipe and for sharing your personal experience with quiche! I now have to see what my “indentation would be!
Thanks Kevin! 🙂
Absolutely gorgeous!!! whatever it is, it looks and sounds beautiful. 😉
.-= Soma´s last blog ..Mashed Pumpkin/Butternut Squash =-.
Thank you, Soma! 🙂
An excellent combo of fine & wonderful accompanied flavours!!
Your quiche looks divine!! MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM,….
Thank you, Sophie! 🙂
We love quiches and we’re not afraid to call it a quiche, even when serving it to others. Quiches have been out of the culinary mindset for so long now that they’re new again.
.-= Nate´s last blog ..Honey-Glazed Yams =-.
Yes,so true Nate…
A leek quiche is usually called a flamiche but that could be a little pedantic…
Well, that would certainly sidestep the naming issue. 🙂