Ham-Cheese Quiche

This ham and Swiss cheese quiche has a clever twist in the custard: mayonnaise replaces the traditional heavy cream. It gives the filling a rich, silky body while keeping it lighter than a full cream custard. Cornstarch helps the whole thing set firmly so you get clean slices instead of a runny center.

The blind-baking step is worth every extra minute. Lining the pastry with buttered foil and weighing it down with dried beans prevents the crust from puffing up or shrinking. After removing the weights, a few more minutes in the oven ensures the bottom is fully cooked before the wet filling goes in. Skip this and you’ll get a soggy bottom.

Cubed Swiss cheese melts into pockets throughout the filling rather than forming one gooey layer. Combined with diced ham, green bell pepper, and sliced scallions, every slice has a good mix of smoky, nutty, and fresh flavors.

Pro Tips

• Use dried beans or pie weights during blind baking. Save the beans afterward since they can be reused for this purpose many times.
• Let the blind-baked crust cool before adding the filling. Hot crust starts cooking the eggs immediately and can create a rubbery bottom layer.
• The quiche is done when the center is set but still has a very slight jiggle. It firms up as it cools.
• Let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing for the cleanest cuts.

Variations

• Swap Swiss for Gruyere cheese for a more intense, nuttier flavor.
• Add a handful of fresh baby spinach to the filling for color and extra nutrition.
• Use cooked bacon or smoked turkey instead of ham.