Alex's Egg Custard Tarts

Ingredients

1 recipe pate-sablee-french-shortcrust
1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp (80g) white sugar
1/3 cup (150g) warm water
2/3 cup (75g) evaporated milk
2 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1/2 tsp vanilla

top with mandarin oranges

Preheat oven to 400° F and position rack in lower third of oven.

Completely dissolve the sugar in the warm water. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

Roll out the pastry dough to 12 x 12 inches and cut out 9 circles using a 4 inch cookie cutter. Gently press onto tart tins or ramekins and place on baking sheet.

Whisk the eggs, egg yolk, evaporated milk and vanilla together. Stir in the room temperature sugar solution. Strain the egg mixture into a large measuring cup through a fine sieve. Carefully pour into tart shells, filling to just below the rim.

Bake at 400° F for 10-15 minutes until the edges are lightly brown. Please keep an eye on the tarts as they are baking. As soon as the custard starts to puff, you need to open the oven door 2-3 inches to prevent the filling from puffing up too much and collapsing when cooled. (Alex found this wasn't necessary.)

Once the edges start to brown, reduce the heat to 350F and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until the custard is done. You can test the filling by inserting a toothpick into the custard, if it can stand on its own, it’s done.

Heirloom Tomato and Onion Quiche

Ingredients 

½ 15 ounce package (1 crust) rolled refrigerated unbaked piecrust

12 ounces assorted garden heirloom tomatoes (Cherokee Purple and/or Brandywine) or regular tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices

1 tablespoon butter

½ cup chopped onion (1 medium)

3 eggs

¾ cup half-and-half, light cream or milk

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon snipped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon dry mustard

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 cup shredded Swiss, cheddar, Monterey Jack, and/or Havarti cheese (4 ounces)

Paprika

Directions

Let piecrust stand at room temperature according to package directions. Unroll piecrust into a 9-inch pie plate. Crimp edge as desired. Line unpricked pastry with a double thickness of foil. Bake in a 425 degree F oven for 8 minutes. Remove foil. Bake for 4 to 5 minutes more or until pastry is set and dry. Remove from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F.

Meanwhile, place tomato slices on paper towels to absorb excess moisture. In a small skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion. Cook until onion is tender but not brown, stirring occasionally.

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, half-and-half, flour, basil, salt, dry mustard and black pepper.

To assemble, sprinkle cheese onto bottom of the hot, baked pastry shell. Spoon onion mixture over cheese. Arrange a single layer of tomato slices over cheese, overlapping slightly. Slowly pour egg mixture over tomatoes. Sprinkle paprika over egg mixture.

Bake, uncovered, for 35 to 40 minutes or until egg mixture is set in center. If necessary, cover edge of pie with foil for the last 5 to 10 minutes of baking to prevent overbrowning. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Makes 6 servings.

Quiche Lorraine

Ingredients

1 recipe Pastry for a Single-Crust Pie

6 slices bacon or turkey bacon

½ cup chopped onion (1 medium)

5 eggs, lightly beaten

1 ¼ cups half-and-half or light cream

¼ teaspoon salt

Dash ground nutmeg

1 ½ cups shredded Swiss cheese (6 ounces)

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Chopped fresh tomato (optional)

Snipped fresh parsley (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Prepare Pastry for a Single-Crust Pie. On a lightly floured surface, use your hands to slightly flatten pastry. Roll pastry from center to edges into a circle about 12 inches in diameter. Wrap pastry circle around the rolling pin. Unroll into a 9-inch pie plate. Ease pastry into pie plate without stretching it. Trim pastry to 1/2 inch beyond edge of pie plate. Fold under extra pastry even with the plate's edge. Crimp edge as desired. Do not prick pastry.

Line the unpricked pastry shell with a double thickness of heavy foil. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove foil. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes more or until pastry is golden brown. Remove from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F. (Pastry shell should still be hot when filling is added; do not partially bake pastry shell ahead of time.)

Meanwhile, in a very large skillet cook bacon until crisp or cook turkey bacon according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 tablespoon of the drippings. Crumble bacon finely; set aside. Cook onion in the reserved drippings over medium heat until tender; drain.

In a large bowl stir together eggs, half-and-half, salt, and nutmeg. Stir in crumbled bacon and onion. In a small bowl combine shredded cheese and flour; add to egg mixture. Mix well.

Pour egg-cheese mixture into the hot, baked pastry shell. Bake in the 325 degrees F oven for 50 to 55 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. If necessary to prevent overbrowning, cover edge of crust with foil for the last 10 to 20 minutes of baking. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. If desired, garnish with tomato and parsley.

Quiche Lorraine with Quick Pastry:

Omit Pastry for a Single Crust Pie. Use half of a 15-ounce package rolled refrigerated unbaked pie crust (1 crust). Let stand according to package directions. Unroll and ease pastry into a 9-inch pie plate being careful not to stretch pastry. Trim pastry to 1/2 inch beyond edge of pie plate. Fold under extra pastry. Crimp edge as desired. Do not prick pastry. Bake as directed in Step 2. Continue as directed in Steps 3 through 5.

Spinach and Mushroom Quiche:

Prepare Quiche Lorraine as directed, except omit bacon. Cook the onion and 1 1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms in 1 tablespoon hot vegetable oil until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in 3 cups lightly packed coarsely chopped fresh spinach. Stir into egg mixture with cheese in Step 3.

Italian Sausage and Zucchini Quiche

 Ingredients

Nonstick cooking spray

4 ounces uncooked turkey Italian sausage links, casings removed

1 cup coarsely shredded zucchini

½ cup chopped red sweet pepper (1 small)

¼ cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese (1 ounce)

1 ½ cups refrigerated or frozen egg product, thawed, or 6 eggs, lightly beaten

¼ cup fat-free milk

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/3 cup shredded part-skim or reduced-fat mozzarella cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Coat four 8-ounce shallow ramekins or quiche dishes or one 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a medium skillet cook turkey sausage, zucchini, and sweet pepper until turkey is cooked through and sweet pepper is just tender, using a wooden spoon to break up turkey as it cooks. In a medium bowl combine cooked turkey mixture and Parmesan cheese. Divide mixture among the prepared dishes or spoon into the pie plate. In a medium bowl whisk together egg, milk, and black pepper. Divide egg mixture evenly among the ramekins or pour into the pie plate. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.

Bake individual servings about 25 minutes or pie plate about 35 minutes or until a knife inserted in center(s) comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack 10 minutes before serving.

Lunchtime Quiche

Ingredients
1 pastry for Single-Crust Pie or 1/2 of a 15-ounce package rolled refrigerated unbaked pie crust (1 pie crust)

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1 1/2 cups half-and-half, light cream, or milk

1/4 cup sliced green onions

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Dash ground nutmeg

3/4 cup chopped cooked ham, chicken, or crabmeat (about 3 1/2 ounces)

1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss, cheddar, Monterey Jack, and/or Havarti cheese (6 ounces)

1tablespoon all-purpose flour

Directions

Prepare and roll out Pastry for Single-Crust Pie or unroll refrigerated pie crust according to package directions. Line a 9-inch pie plate with pastry. Trim; crimp edge as desired. Line unpricked pastry with a double thickness of foil. Bake in a 450 degree F for 8 minutes. Remove foil. Bake for 4 to 5 minutes more or until pastry is set and dry. Remove from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F.

Meanwhile, in medium bowl stir together eggs, half-and-half, green onions, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir in ham. In a small bowl toss together the cheese and flour. Add to egg mixture; mix well.

Pour egg mixture into hot, baked pastry shell. Bake in the 325 degree Foven for 40 to 45 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Makes 6 servings.

Sweet and Savory Chard Quiche

Greek yogurt makes for extra-creamy filling, and a springform pan is the secret to a seriously deep crust.

Makes: 10 servings

Prep: 40 mins

Bake: 1 hr 20 mins to 1 hr 30 mins 325°F

Ingredients

1 recipe Deep-Dish Pastry Shell

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

8 cups torn red Swiss chard (10 ounces)

1 medium red onion, chopped (1 cup)

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup finely chopped golden raisins

3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

6 eggs

2 cups plain fat-free Greek yogurt

1 cup milk

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground white pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

4 ounces provolone cheese, shredded (1 cup)

Fresh herbs (optional)

Directions

Prepare Deep-Dish Pastry Shell; set aside on baking sheets. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Heat oil in a very large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chard, onion, and garlic. Cook for 4 to 6 minutes or until chard is just wilted. Add the raisins and pine nuts and cook until the raisins are plumped, about 2 minutes. Add the vinegar, tossing to combine. Remove from heat; set aside.

For custard, in a blender combine the eggs, yogurt, milk, salt, pepper, and nutmeg; cover and blend until frothy.

Place the chard mixture in the prebaked pastry shell. Sprinkle with cheese. Pour custard over. Bake 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes until the top is lightly browned and the custard is just set (165 degrees F) but still jiggles slightly in the center. Let stand 30 to 40 minutes. With a serrated knife, cut the pastry shell flush with the top of the pan. Carefully remove the springform pan ring. Cut the quiche into wedges. Sprinkle with fresh herbs, if desired.