Corn Quiche with Cheese Cracker Crust

When you do not want to roll out pie dough, this corn quiche solves the problem with crushed cheese crackers patted into the pie plate like a graham cracker crust. The cracker crumbs already carry salt and flavor, so the crust does double duty as seasoning.

The filling is built like a thin béchamel. Melt butter, blend in flour for a quick roux, then whisk in milk until it thickens. Adding the hot sauce to the eggs gradually tempers them so they enrich the custard without scrambling. Fold in cooked corn, pour it over the crust, and crown the top with reserved cracker crumbs for crunch.

A hot 400°F (205°C) bake for just 20 minutes sets the custard while keeping the crackers crisp. Five minutes of rest before slicing gives the filling time to firm up so wedges hold their shape.

Kitchen Tips

• Use sturdy cheese crackers like Cheez-Its or Ritz cheese-flavored. Plain saltines will work but lose the cheesy backbone of the crust.
• Cook your corn until just tender. Mushy corn makes a watery filling.
• Whisk the hot milk mixture into the eggs in a thin stream, not all at once. Tempering matters here.
• Reserve a generous half cup of crumbs for the top. That toasted layer is most of the texture.

Variations

• Stir in a half cup of shredded sharp cheddar with the corn for extra cheesy backbone.
• Add chopped scallions or diced roasted red pepper for color and a fresh edge.
• Swap white pepper for a pinch of smoked paprika to lean into a tex-mex profile.