Summer Quiche with Corn, Tomatoes and Sausage
We give instructions for making your own pie dough here, but of course you can use store-bought. Or skip the dough completely and simply bake the custard in a well-buttered baking dish like a frittata.
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 tablespoons cold Vital Farms Unsalted Butter, cut into pieces 4–6 tablespoons cold water
For the filling:
- 2 ears fresh corn
- 2 APPLEGATE ORGANICS® Fire-Roasted Red Pepper Chicken Sausages, chopped 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 5 large Vital Farms + 1 large egg separated 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 large or 2–3 small ripe tomatoes, sliced
Instructions
- To make the crust, whisk together the flour and salt in a large bowl. Work the butter in with your fingertips or a pastry cutter until it is a shaggy mixture full of pea-sized lumps. Stir in enough cold water with a fork until the pastry just comes together. Gather into a ball and press into a disk. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into a large round. Fit it into an 8- or 9-inch cast-iron skillet or pie plate and fold the edges under so the pastry rises about ½ inch above the edge of the skillet. Prick the bottom of the pastry with a fork several times. Lay a sheet of parchment over the pastry and fill with pie weights (or dried beans). Bake until crust is set and pale golden. Remove the pie weights and brush the crust all over with the egg white.
- While the pastry shell is baking, make the filling: Cut the kernels from the corn and place in a skillet with the chopped sausage. Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until corn is crisp tender, 5–8 minutes. Set aside.
- Whisk together the cream and milk, then whisk in the flour until absolutely smooth. Add the 5 whole eggs and the remaining egg yolk, basil, salt and pepper. Whisk until very smooth.
- Sprinkle half of the cheese over the baked pastry shell, then spoon the corn and sausages over top. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over top. Lay the tomato slices over the cheese and then carefully pour the custard evenly over everything. The skillet should be very full. Transfer to the oven (still at 375°F) and bake until custard is set, 55–60 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 15 minutes before cutting and serving.
- To make the crust, whisk together the flour and salt in a large bowl. Work the butter in with your fingertips or a pastry cutter until it is a shaggy mixture full of pea-sized lumps. Stir in enough cold water with a fork until the pastry just comes together. Gather into a ball and press into a disk. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into a large round. Fit it into an 8- or 9-inch cast-iron skillet or pie plate and fold the edges under so the pastry rises about ½ inch above the edge of the skillet. Prick the bottom of the pastry with a fork several times. Lay a sheet of parchment over the pastry and fill with pie weights (or dried beans). Bake until crust is set and pale golden. Remove the pie weights and brush the crust all over with the egg white.
- While the pastry shell is baking, make the filling: Cut the kernels from the corn and place in a skillet with the chopped sausage. Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until corn is crisp tender, 5–8 minutes. Set aside.
- Whisk together the cream and milk, then whisk in the flour until absolutely smooth. Add the 5 whole eggs and the remaining egg yolk, basil, salt and pepper. Whisk until very smooth.
- Sprinkle half of the cheese over the baked pastry shell, then spoon the corn and sausages over top. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over top. Lay the tomato slices over the cheese and then carefully pour the custard evenly over everything. The skillet should be very full. Transfer to the oven (still at 375°F) and bake until custard is set, 55–60 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 15 minutes before cutting and serving.