In the Oven: Lemon and Black Pepper Quiche

Posting date for this quiche is May 11th! Anyone going to make this for Mother’s Day Brunch?

Lemon and Black Pepper Quiche

Yield: One 9-inch quiche

1⁄2 recipe Classic Pie Dough (page 161)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 large eggs, plus 2 large egg yolks
1 cup half-and-half
1 cup crème fraîche
Juice of 1⁄2 lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
Zest of 1 lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
1 teaspoon salt
3⁄4 teaspoon ground white pepper
11⁄2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, divided
3⁄4 cup loosely packed shredded mozzarella
3⁄4 cup finely grated fresh Parmesan
1 paper-thin slice of lemon for decoration (optional)

Using nonstick cooking spray, coat the bottom and sides of a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Alternatively, butter the pan well, dust it with flour, and knock out the excess flour.

Dust a work surface with a sprinkling of flour and roll the dough out into an 11-inch round, about 1⁄4 inch thick. Transfer it to the prepared tart pan and carefully work it into the bottom and build up the sides to twice the thickness of the bottom (the dough
will shrink once baked). Cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for at least 60 minutes. (It will keep this way, tightly wrapped, for up to 3 months.)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.

Remove the tart pan from the freezer and, using the tines of a fork, prick the bottom of the tart shell. Line the shell with aluminum foil and fill it three-quarters of the way full with pie weights or dried beans. Place the tart shell in the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the edges of the tart just begin to brown. Remove the foil and weights and bake for another 7 to 10 minutes, until the crust is golden brown all over.

Transfer the tart pan to a wire rack to cool.

In a large bowl, vigorously whisk together the flour, eggs, and egg yolks until smooth.

In another bowl whisk together the half-and-half, crème fraîche, and lemon juice until blended. Add the half-and-half mixture to the flour mixture and whisk gently until combined. Sprinkle the top of the mixture with the lemon zest, salt, white pepper, and
3⁄4 teaspoon of the black pepper and whisk until combined.

Place the cooled tart shell on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle the mozzarella over the crust, then sprinkle with Parmesan. Pour the egg mixture over the cheese, filling to the lip of the tart shell (do not let it overflow; you may have some extra filling).

Sprinkle the remaining 3⁄4 teaspoon black pepper over the filling and place the lemon slice in the center if you wish.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the filling is set and a small paring knife inserted into the center of the quiche comes out clean. Remove the pan from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes.

To serve, gently push up on the tart bottom to release the quiche from the pan. Cut and serve while still warm.

The completely cooled quiche can be stored in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 225 degrees F until warm to the touch before serving.

Excerpted from Baked Elements: Our 10 Favorite Ingredients by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Copyright © 2012 by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Excerpted by permission of Stewart, Tabori & Chang, an imprint of Abrams. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.