Italian Pesto Quiche

This is quiche crossed with pesto, using a parsley-forward pesto built in the food processor with garlic, basil, oregano, walnuts, and good olive oil. Parsley in place of most of the basil keeps the pesto bright green through the baking time, which is a trick chefs use when pesto is going to see real oven heat.

The custard is a simple three-egg and half-and-half pour, enriched by the olive oil from the pesto and perfumed by the garlic. Shredded Swiss on the bottom of the pre-baked crust melts into a creamy layer while the parmesan stirred into the custard adds sharp, salty depth through the whole slice.

Kitchen Tips

• Pre-bake the crust fully before filling. A soggy bottom is the single biggest quiche failure, and custard fillings require a crust that is already baked to golden firmness.
• Stir the pesto into the eggs gradually so it distributes evenly. Dumping it in at once leaves a pesto pool in the middle and clear custard around the edges.
• Bake until a toothpick comes out clean but the center still jiggles slightly. The quiche sets further as it cools, and residual heat finishes the center without overcooking the edges.
• Let the quiche rest 15 minutes before slicing. Cutting hot gives you a wet slice; resting lets the custard firm to clean, tidy wedges.

Variations

• Swap the walnuts for pine nuts for a more traditional pesto flavor.
• Add a layer of roasted sundried tomatoes over the cheese before pouring the custard.
• Use goat cheese in place of Swiss for a tangier, more rustic version.