Leek and Gruyère Quiche

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •9-inch tart pan with removable bottom
• •Pie weights or dried beans
• •Wide skillet (12-inch)
• •Rolling pin
• •Box grater or microplane for nutmeg

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the pastry

   Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the cold butter cubes and work them into the flour using your fingertips or a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-sized pieces remaining. These uneven butter bits create flaky layers. Drizzle in the ice water one tablespoon at a time, mixing gently with a fork until the dough just begins to clump together. It will look shaggy. That is right.

   Keep everything cold. If your kitchen runs warm, chill the flour and bowl in the freezer for ten minutes before starting.
2. 2

   Rest the dough

   Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and press it together into a flat disk about one inch thick. Do not knead. Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate for at least one hour, or overnight. Cold rest relaxes the gluten and makes rolling easier.

3. 3

   Prepare the leeks

   Trim away the dark green tops and the root ends. Slice the leeks in half lengthwise, then cut crosswise into thin half-moons. Submerge them in a large bowl of cold water and swish vigorously. Leeks hide sand between their layers, and this grit will ruin your quiche. Lift the leeks from the water, letting the sand settle at the bottom, and transfer to a colander. Repeat if they were particularly dirty.

4. 4

   Slow-cook the leeks

   Melt the three tablespoons of butter in a wide skillet over medium-low heat. Add the leeks, salt, and several grinds of pepper. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are completely soft and sweet, thirty to forty minutes. They should not brown. If they start to color, reduce the heat. The leeks will reduce to about one cup. Let them cool while you roll the crust.

   Patience here is everything. Rushed leeks taste sharp and sulfurous. Slow leeks taste like sweetness itself.
5. 5

   Roll and fit the crust

   On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a circle about twelve inches across and an eighth inch thick. Transfer to a nine-inch tart pan with a removable bottom, pressing gently into the corners and up the sides. Trim any overhang to about half an inch above the rim, then fold it inward to reinforce the sides. Refrigerate for thirty minutes.

6. 6

   Blind bake the shell

   Heat your oven to 400°F. Line the chilled tart shell with parchment and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake for twenty minutes until the edges look set and dry. Remove the weights and parchment, then bake another eight to ten minutes until the bottom looks matte and lightly golden. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.

7. 7

   Build the custard

   Whisk together the eggs, cream, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl until smooth. Do not overbeat. You want the custard unified, not frothy.

8. 8

   Assemble and bake

   Scatter the cooled leeks evenly across the bottom of the warm tart shell. Distribute the grated Gruyère over the leeks. Pour the custard slowly over everything, letting it seep into the crevices. Sprinkle the thyme leaves across the surface. Bake at 350°F for thirty-five to forty-five minutes, until the custard is set around the edges but still has a gentle wobble in the center when you nudge the pan.

   The quiche continues cooking as it cools. Pull it when the center still trembles like set gelatin, not like raw egg.
9. 9

   Rest before serving

   Let the quiche cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least twenty minutes before slicing. This rest firms the custard and makes clean slices possible. Serve warm or at room temperature. Quiche is patient food. It waits for you.

Chef Tips

• •Buy leeks with roots and outer leaves still attached. They stay fresher longer and signal recent harvest. Your farmers market is the place for these.
• •Aged Gruyère (ten months or more) brings deeper, nuttier flavor than young wheels. Ask your cheesemonger. Comté or Emmentaler work beautifully if Gruyère is unavailable.
• •The crust can be made two days ahead and refrigerated, or frozen for a month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before rolling.
• •Quiche improves overnight. The flavors meld and deepen. Rewarm gently in a 300°F oven for fifteen minutes, or serve at room temperature.
• •A simple green salad dressed with mustard vinaigrette cuts the richness perfectly. Let things taste of what they are.

Advance Preparation

• •Dough can be made up to two days ahead and refrigerated, or frozen for one month.
• •Leeks can be cooked one day ahead and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before assembling.
• •The fully baked quiche keeps refrigerated for three days. Reheat in a 300°F oven for fifteen to twenty minutes, or serve at room temperature.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 165g)