RECIPE: Ham and Spinach Quiche (all from scratch)

My Mom has been craving for quiche ever since I got home from Australia. I decided to create this recipe for my friends and family who have been trying to bake something on the spot. Here’s a healthy recipe that you will surely love, a twist on the classic Quiche Lorraine. This recipe is very easy to whip up and suitable for a light dinner, cozy picnics, or afternoon high teas.

*** Chef’s recommendations and instructions at the end of the post.

Preparation: 30 mins.

Cooking Time: 15-20 mins for crust, 30-35 mins for quiche with filling

Serves: 3 pcs. 4″ Quiche

Ingredients for the Crust:

• 1 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
• 1/2 cup cold butter
• 1 whole egg
• 2 tbsp. ice cold water
• 1/2 tsp salt

Ingredients for the Filling: 

• 1/2 cup sliced ham (in cubes)***
• 1 cup all purpose cream
• 3/4 cups grated Cheddar Cheese***
• 3 whole eggs
• pinch of nutmeg
• 1 cup Spinach (sliced in chiffonade)***
• salt and pepper to taste

PROCEDURE:

1. Preheat oven to 200 C and prepare all ingredients for the pastry crust.
2. In a bowl, combine all ingredients together and cut in butter into the flour. With your fingers or pastry blender, make a crumb mixture. (Crumbing Method)
3. When the butter is well incorporated with the flour, the mixture will become paste-like. At this point, knead the mixture until it forms a dough. 
4. Shape the dough into a ball, wrap with a plastic wrap (cling wrap), flatten dough into a disc and let rest in the refrigerator for half an hour or an hour. 
5. While the dough is resting, prepare ingredients for the filling.
6. In a separate bowl, whisk together cream, eggs, and grated cheese. 
7. Slice spinach in chiffonade*** and add in with ham to the cream mixture.
8. Add a pinch of nutmeg, salt, and pepper to taste on the mixture.
9. Make sure all of the ingredients are well-incorporated.
10. Grease your quiche pans and prepare dough for baking.***
11. Place the pastry on a lightly floured smooth surface and roll out as thin as you can. 
12.  Place pastry on greased quiche pans, making sure that it doesn’t go below the height of the tin pans.
13. Line the pastry with foil, fill with baking weights.***
14. Place quiche pans in the pre-heated oven and blind bake the pastry for about 15-20 mins or until the crust is golden brown. 
15. When the crust is golden brown, reduce oven heat to 180 C, remove weights and bake pastry for about 5 mins.
16. When the crust is done, take it out from the oven and put in filling. 
17. Bake for 30-45 mins. or until the filling is already set.
18. Take quiche out of the oven and let rest for about 5 mins. outside the oven.
19. Serve and enjoy!~

CHEF’S NOTES:

• Aside from ham, you can also use prosciutto, bacon, or other lardons.
• I used cheddar cheese for this recipe as I wanted a lighter version. You can also use 1 cup of Gruyere, Gouda, or Swiss Cheese.
• Chiffonade is a cutting technique that you can use to cut up any flat leafy food. It works great on things that you are going to eat fresh, like basil and lettuce and helps you cut uniform, curly, strips of food quickly and elegantly. -https://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Chiffonade/
• In greasing your quiche pans, I lightly greased with shortening and dusted with flour. You can also use non-stick olive oil spray or a bit of butter and flour to grease.
• I used rice grains as baking weights. In the absence of weights, you may also use baking beans or raw mung beans lined with foil.

ENJOY! HAPPY BAKING!~