From our food contributor,DianaBauman. 
Spring is my favorite season of the year. Being from Iowa, it’s a breath of fresh air, literally, to be able to spend time outdoors as the weather warms and the cycle of life begins anew. As much as I enjoy spring time and all that it brings, it also happens to be a busy season in my life. With 2 boys and a husband in baseball and an urban homestead to keep up on, I intentionally seek out and prepare meals that come together quickly. One spring ingredient I take full advantage of are eggs. I know what you’re thinking, “eggs are available year round.” Well, yes they are; however, having raised backyard hens for 5 years, I’ve come to learn that they are indeed seasonal.In the winter, hens need to conserve body heat and so they produce fewer eggs. When spring arrives and the weather warms and the daylight increases, their egg production soars. I’m currently getting around 10-11 eggs per day whereas in the winter my hens would only lay about 2-3 eggs per day.Their egg production usually stays up until the heat of summer kicks in around July and August. At that time, their egg production slows and gradually increases as the weather cools in fall. Then when winter arrives, their egg production is nearly halted until the spring comes again. The reason hensraised commercially are able to produce eggs year round is that they are kept in an environment that is neutral with heat, light, and grains so that they are able to lay continually, year round. Isn’t it neat to be in touch with the seasons and cyclical patterns of life?For now, my family is living in an abundance of eggs and nothing makes me happier since they area traditional source of complete protein and nutrition.
A Self Crusting, Dark Leafy Green Quiche
One of my favorite way to use our abundance of eggs packed full of nutrients is by making a quiche – a light dish, perfect for a spring time brunch or supper. A quiche is essentially a custard that is made with milk and eggs and then poured into a pastry crust to be baked.As delightful as a traditional quiche is, I’m oftentimes to busy in this season to make the crust, allow it to firm up in the fridge, roll it out, and then mold it into a pie dish. Instead, on busy spring days, I usually make a self crusting quiche that forms itself by the addition of flour and a bit of baking powder. It creates its own darkened type crust right in the oven as it’s baking.It saves me so much time and makes this dish come together in literally minutes! For this particular quiche, I added dark leafy greens of swiss chard, kale, and spinach. Together with cheddar and pecorino romano cheeses, this quiche is light, creamy, and savory. What’s great about a quiche is that it can be eaten warm, at room temperature, or cold. On days that my family has ball games to play, I’ll usually whip up a self crusting quiche during the day and refrigerate it to eat cold later in the evening. A quick, nourishing, and satisfying spring meal.
A Self Crusting, Dark Leafy Green Quiche
Recipe Type: Dinner
Cuisine: French
Author: Diana Bauman
Serves: 4-5
A self crusting, dark leafy green quiche. A perfectly light, quick to make spring meal your entire family will enjoy.
Ingredients
- 2 tbls extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 cups packed dark leafy greens (like spinach, swiss chard, kale)
- 1/4 cup water
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup flour (for gluten free, sub oat flour)
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano Cheese or Parmesan
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Lightly butter a 10-inch pie plate
- In a skillet or cast iron pan, heat 2 tbls of extra virgin olive oil and saute the onion until translucent. Add 2 cups, dark leafy greens and the water. Cook until the greens just start to wilt; 3-4 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and the milk. Add the cheddar cheese and mix though. Add the flour, baking powder and salt; whisk through then stir in the greens and onions.
- Pour the contents of the bowl into the pie plate. Top with the Pecorino Romano cheese.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the center is set and the outside edges are golden brown.
What are your favorite meals to whip up on busy days?
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FAQs
Blind Bake the Crust
The crispy, flaky crust is one of the best parts of a quiche. "But to achieve that tasty outer layer, you need to bake your naked crust a little before adding the egg mixture," says Zakari Davila, executive chef at Willa's in Tampa, Florida. This prevents it from getting soggy.
Should I bake my crust first for quiche? ›
And yes, as you'll see, you should always prebake quiche crust to avoid a gummy pastry. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Roll out your homemade or purchased refrigerated dough into a 12-inch circle.
What can you use instead of pie crust for quiche? ›
Tips and tricks for a tasty tortilla quiche
Rather than fussing with a fragile unbaked pie crust, using tortillas for the bottom of your quiche is fast and foolproof. Depending on your preference, you can opt for flour or corn tortillas.
What not to put in quiche? ›
2. Using too many eggs in the custard. The best quiche consists of a custard that's the perfect ratio between eggs and milk. Using too many eggs in the custard results in a quiche that rubbery and too firm when baked, while not using enough will prevent the custard from setting.
What is the secret to crispy bottom pie crust? ›
Choose the Right Rack in the Oven
Which rack you use in the oven can help ensure a crisp crust. Baking the pie on a lower rack will concentrate heat on the bottom of the pie and help the crust crisp.
How to get pie crust to brown on the bottom? ›
Getting a brown, flaky/crispy bottom crust on your pie is all about quick and effective heat transfer. That's why aluminum or aluminum/steel pans — rather than glass or stoneware — are your best choice for baking pie. Metal, especially aluminum, transfers heat quickly and efficiently from oven to pie crust.
What is the ratio of milk to eggs in a quiche? ›
Quiche Ratio: 1 large egg to 1/2 cup of dairy
A standard large egg weighs two ounces and 1/2 cup of dairy (whole milk) is four ounces, therefore a handy 1:2 ratio! You'll need to increase the amount of eggs and milk based on the size of your quiche, so knowing the basic ratio makes it really easy to scale up or down.
Do I need to blind bake quiche crust? ›
As a general rule, you do need to blind bake when cooking a dish with wet fillings. For example, if you're making a quiche or frangipane, blind baking the crust first will help ensure the pastry case stays buttery and retains its crunch.
Which pie crust is best for quiche? ›
Best Overall Quiche Crust: Pillsbury Pie Crust
The crusts are rolled up, so they don't take up a lot of room in your fridge or freezer, and they are super easy to work with. Just thaw overnight in the fridge, unroll gently to fill your pie dish, and either blind bake, or fill and bake, depending on your recipe.
Why is the bottom of my quiche crust not cooked? ›
If the bottom crust doesn't set before the filling soaks in, it's going to be gummy. A metal pie pan placed on a preheated surface will set the bottom crust quickest; once cooked, the liquids from the filling above won't soak in, and as a result: no soggy bottom.
A frittata is partially cooked in a skillet on the cooktop then finished in the oven. It also has a lower egg to dairy ratio making it closer to an open faced omelet than a pie. Quiche has a creamier, custard-like texture due to more dairy and is cooked entirely in the oven.
What makes quiche unhealthy? ›
Is quiche healthy? Quiche is bad news when it comes to a healthy diet. It's usually made with cheese and cream in the filling as well as butter in the pastry case, so it's often high in saturated fat and calories. Ingredients like bacon will add salt and more saturated fat.
What can go wrong when making quiche? ›
A quiche is a type of custard and can crack if the ratio of egg yolk to cream is not right (try about 2 whites, four yolks and a little less than 400 ml cream). If you are using light cream then that is also a mistake. A quiche can also crack if you cook it too quickly or in too hot an oven.
Should crust be prebaked for quiche? ›
Editor: Yes, I recommend pre-baking the crusts for quiches because I think it helps keep them from getting soggy from the filling. Here's a little more information on blind baking: How to Blind Bake a Pie Crust.
Should I egg wash the bottom pie crust? ›
Brushing on egg white will lead to a paler baked good with a very good shine. An egg white only egg wash is useful for brushing on the bottom of blind-baked pie crusts to create a watertight barrier between the filling and the crust. Or it can be used to help sugar adhere to pastry.
How to make crispy bottom pizza crust? ›
As you are rolling out and topping your first pizza, switch your oven to broil. Right before you launch, swtich your oven back to bake or convection bake 500F. The idea is to get your Steel even hotter than 500 F for this thin crust bake. It really helps crisp up that bottom.
Spring is my favorite season of the year. Being from Iowa, it’s a breath of fresh air, literally, to be able to spend time outdoors as the weather warms and the cycle of life begins anew. As much as I enjoy spring time and all that it brings, it also happens to be a busy season in my life. With 2 boys and a husband in baseball and an urban homestead to keep up on, I intentionally seek out and prepare meals that come together quickly. One spring ingredient I take full advantage of are eggs. I know what you’re thinking, “eggs are available year round.” Well, yes they are; however, having raised backyard hens for 5 years, I’ve come to learn that they are indeed seasonal.In the winter, hens need to conserve body heat and so they produce fewer eggs. When spring arrives and the weather warms and the daylight increases, their egg production soars. I’m currently getting around 10-11 eggs per day whereas in the winter my hens would only lay about 2-3 eggs per day.Their egg production usually stays up until the heat of summer kicks in around July and August. At that time, their egg production slows and gradually increases as the weather cools in fall. Then when winter arrives, their egg production is nearly halted until the spring comes again. The reason hensraised commercially are able to produce eggs year round is that they are kept in an environment that is neutral with heat, light, and grains so that they are able to lay continually, year round. Isn’t it neat to be in touch with the seasons and cyclical patterns of life?For now, my family is living in an abundance of eggs and nothing makes me happier since they area traditional source of complete protein and nutrition.
One of my favorite way to use our abundance of eggs packed full of nutrients is by making a quiche – a light dish, perfect for a spring time brunch or supper. 
A quiche is essentially a custard that is made with milk and eggs and then poured into a pastry crust to be baked.As delightful as a traditional quiche is, I’m oftentimes to busy in this season to make the crust, allow it to firm up in the fridge, roll it out, and then mold it into a pie dish. Instead, on busy spring days, I usually make a self crusting quiche that forms itself by the addition of flour and a bit of baking powder. It creates its own darkened type crust right in the oven as it’s baking.It saves me so much time and makes this dish come together in literally minutes! 
For this particular quiche, I added dark leafy greens of swiss chard, kale, and spinach. Together with cheddar and pecorino romano cheeses, this quiche is light, creamy, and savory. What’s great about a quiche is that it can be eaten warm, at room temperature, or cold. On days that my family has ball games to play, I’ll usually whip up a self crusting quiche during the day and refrigerate it to eat cold later in the evening. A quick, nourishing, and satisfying spring meal.