Tomato, Corn, and Cheddar Quiche

Ah, summer – a time for all the fresh produce you can get your hands on.  I particularly like the combination of tomatoes and corn, which you can see here, here, and here.  Add in some herbs from the garden, eggs from the farmer’s market, and a flaky pie crust for an awesome summer quiche.

Quiche is best served right around room temperature, so it would be pretty easy to bring this to a potluck or dinner party, as long as it doesn’t sit out for too long (2 hours max) and isn’t out in the heat.

First step – parbake the crust.  I used a tart pan, but a pie pan would work as well.  Then put a layer of shredded aged white cheddar down to prevent the crust from getting soggy and let it cool.  I had some major shrinkage problems, even though I used pie weights – anybody have any tips?

Next, arrange halved cherry tomatoes into the crust – I used a medley of different colors – then top with corn.

Then top with more cheese and pour the custard over everything.  I put some fresh thyme into my custard – yum!

Bake until the custard is set, allow to cool, and dig in!

Now I’m just looking for excuses to put more photos up…  The comments on the original recipe said that it made way too much custard base, so I cut it in half and STILL had enough for two quiches.  Which was fine, since I had more tomatoes and corn than I needed, so I just made two!  But I have corrected the amounts for you below.  I also still had a little bit left over (I think this is because my tart pans are pretty shallow), so stay tuned to see what I did with the rest of it!

Tomato, Corn, and Cheddar Quiche 
adapted from Martha Stewart

1/2 pie crust recipe
1 tbsp flour
3 large eggs
1/2 cups creme fraiche
1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
pinch of nutmeg
2 tsp finely chopped fresh thyme
2 cups fresh corn kernels (or frozen, thawed)
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup (or more) grated sharp white cheddar cheese

On a lightly floured work surface, roll dough into a 12-inch round.  Fit dough into a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom, gently pressing it into the sides (a regular pie dish will also work).  Use a rolling pin to cut dough atop the edge of the pan.  Cover with plastic wrap; chill tart shell until firm, about 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Line the tart dough with a sheet of parchment paper and fill with pie weights.  Transfer to oven and bake until light brown, about 25 minutes.  Remove weights and parchment paper and continue baking until golden brown, about 5 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack, sprinkle with 1/2 the cheddar, let cool completely.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, mix together 1 egg and flour on high speed until smooth.  Add the remaining 2 eggs and continue mixing until well blended.  Add creme fraiche and milk to mixer along with salt, pepper, nutmeg, and thyme; mix until well combined.

Place corn, tomatoes, and remaining cheese in prepared tart shell.  Pour over egg mixture until tart shell is full (you may not need to use all of the egg mixture).

Bake 20 minutes; reduce temperature to 325 degrees, and continue baking until filling is slightly firm, rather than liquid, and crust is a deep golden brown, 30-40 minutes more.  Transfer quiche to a wire rack to cool until set, about 20 minutes.  Serve warm or at room temperature.  To reheat, cover quiche with aluminum foil and bake in an oven heated to 325 degrees for about 15 minutes.

One Year Ago – Garlic Scapes
Two Years Ago – Strawberry Balsamic Sorbet and Jam
Three Years Ago – Muesli