If you’re looking for a centerpiece holiday dish, a stunner for a Sunday supper, or brunch with friends, then a mile-high Deep Dish Quiche is just the thing you need.
The inspiration for this recipe comes from a road trip to Vermont last summer. The slice of mile-high quiche served at our café lunch stop was a vision to behold and tasted even better than it looked. Now you can have your version at home!
This quiche is tall, you could say downright regal, filled with bacon, scallions, a lot of parsley, sharp cheddar, and, most importantly, cream. Heavy cream! (No holds barred here.)
This luscious and rich dish is large enough to serve at least eight people. The golden crust is buttery and flaky, just the right complement for the rich filling.
WHAT IS QUICHE?
Quiche is a French tart with a buttery crust filled with savory custard that can include all manner of vegetables, cheese, meat, and even seafood. The most famous quiche is quiche Lorraine, made with ham or bacon and Gruyere or Swiss cheese and baked in a shallow tart pan.
It can be served warm or at room temperature, and is an ideal brunch or supper dish.
WHY MAKE DEEP DISH QUICHE?
I reserve this rich and elegant quiche for when company comes; it’s a splendid dish for a spring holiday brunch or a light supper and serves eight nicely.
Its generous size (made in a 9-inch springform pan) requires more of a time commitment than ordinary quiche. Luckily, the time involved is mostly hands-off time – prebaking the crust and then baking the quiche – and it can be parsed out in chunks so you are not in the kitchen full stop.
Serve it with a salad or green vegetable, and for a brunch, you might want to have some strawberries or fresh fruit and crisp, cold white wine on the table, too.
TIPS FOR MAKING QUICHE CRUST
I adjusted my favorite all-butter crust recipe to fit into a springform pan, which is much deeper than a tart pan or pie plate. I like this crust because it’s very buttery and stands up well in a springform pan.
This recipe makes a generous amount of dough, so you don’t have to worry about having to skimp on the crust. A few tips and tricks will yield perfect results every time.
- Once you’ve fit the pastry dough to the springform pan, chill it.
- Line the chilled dough with foil and fill it with pie weights or dried beans up to the brim (you’ll need about 6 cups). This prevents the dough from collapsing on the sides when you par-bake it.
- Once the crust is golden brown, remove the weights, fill it with custard and bake it again.
The crust’s long pre-bake may seem like overkill, but it ensures that both the crust and filling are cooked to perfection.
HOW TO TELL WHEN QUICHE IS COOKED?
The best way to tell if the quiche is set is with visual cues and a thermometer. (I like to use both.)
- The edges should be slightly puffed and look set
- The very center should still be slightly jiggly. If it looks soupy, continue to bake it.
- A toothpick inserted into the center of the quiche should come out clean
- If you have an instant-read thermometer, it should register from 165 to 170 degrees. Once it gets into the 180-degree range, the custard will be overcooked.
Bear in mind that the quiche will cook a bit more once it comes out of the oven. Also, if the top is golden and the center is not done, cover loosely with foil for the last few minutes of baking.
MAKE AHEAD AND FREEZER TIPS FOR DEEP DISH QUICHE
Freeze the crust: The crust can be frozen in several ways.
- Freeze the dough disk (up to 3 months): Wrap in plastic wrap and then in foil. Thaw and roll as directed.
- Freeze the unbaked pie shell (up to 3 months): Wrap in plastic wrap and then in foil. Remove from the freezer, line the pan with foil, add the beans, and bake—no need to thaw first. Add extra time to account for the frozen pastry.
- Freeze the baked pie shell (up to 3 months): Wrap in plastic wrap and then in foil. Remove from the freezer, add the filling, and bake as directed—no need to thaw first.
To freeze the baked quiche: Bake the quiche and let it cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until cold, and wrap in plastic wrap and then in foil. For individual slices, freeze them, unwrapped, until solid and then wrap in plastic wrap and foil.
Reheat frozen quiche: Thaw in the refrigerator, remove, and let come to room temperature (1 hour). Bake in a 350°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until hot all the way through.
