Pizza Quiche

All your favorite pizza toppings baked into a rich, cheesy quiche. Italian sausage, pepperoni, ham, and salami get folded into a ricotta and egg custard with mozzarella and Parmesan, then baked in a double-crust pie shell until golden.

The bottom crust gets a quick par-bake at high heat before the filling goes in. Those 4-5 minutes in a hot oven set the pastry enough to prevent the dreaded soggy bottom that sinks so many quiches. Don’t poke any holes in the crust or the wet filling will seep through.

The top crust is cut into wedges and laid over the filling in a decorative pattern, then brushed with an egg wash for a glossy, bakery-quality finish. Letting it rest for 10 minutes after baking is a must. The custard needs time to set, or every slice will ooze filling across the plate.

Chef Tips

• Cook the Italian sausage fully before adding to the filling. Raw sausage won’t cook through in the quiche’s baking time and will leave greasy pockets.
• Don’t skip the par-bake. That initial blast of heat at 450°F (232°C) creates a barrier between the wet filling and the raw pastry. It makes all the difference.
• Egg wash goes on 2 minutes into baking. Adding it before the oven would make the pastry wedges slide off the filling. Let them set slightly first, then brush.
• Let it cool a full 10 minutes before cutting. The ricotta-egg filling firms up as it rests.

Variations

• Vegetarian pizza quiche: Replace the meats with roasted bell peppers, mushrooms, and black olives for a veggie-loaded version.
• Crustless option: Skip the pie dough entirely and bake the filling in a greased pie dish for a lower-carb version.