On a cold, winter, weekend morning, nothing tastes better (or makes the house smell better) than a savory ham and cheese quiche. Truth be told, I had NEVER made one before – I always thought they were too hard or impossible to make! I’d order them when I would go out for breakfast any chance I got which only (I thought) reaffirmed the fact that I could never possibly make one of these on my own. The flaky crust, the golden top, the savory flavors all perfectly blended together…impossible right? Actually, I was SO WRONG! Quiches are super easy to make and now that I know how, I’ll be making them ALL. THE. TIME.
The Rules to a Great Quiche
1. Use Quality Ingredients.
Your quiche will only be as good as the ingredients you use, so don’t skimp and use just ordinary ham and cheese! Use quality ingredients like Asiago PDO and Speck Alto Adige PGI!
Asiago PDO comes in two ages, fresh (fresco) and aged (stagionato). For this quiche recipe, I used a cup and a half of shredded fresh Asiago PDO in the recipe, then lightly dusted finely shredded aged Asiago PDO on the top prior to baking to give me that perfect golden top. What makes Asiago PDO so great for this recipe is that it is a unique cow’s milk cheese produced in the pristine, green Asiago alpine mountains of northern Italy where the mild climate, pure air and rich vegetation come together to create an unparalleled flavor. Make sure when heading to the store to get your ingredients, you look for the label that says “Asiago PDO” to ensure you’re getting authentic, quality Asiago cheese. Want to know more about Asiago PDO? You can learn more here: http://uncommoneurope.eu/asiago-pdo/.
Speck Alto Adige PGI is a delicious, lightly smoked ham from Northern Italy. It can be used similarly to bacon or prosciutto, diced, in strips or thinly sliced, which makes it absolutely perfect for this quiche. Each ham is air-cured and then lightly smoked creating a really unique flavor that is considered by many to be FAR tastier than bacon! I’m sure you’re probably wondering “what’s the PGI for in the name?” Well, the PGI certification of Speck Alto Adige means “protected geographical indication” and ensures that you are buying an authentic product made in its area of origin under strict guidelines. If you want to know more about Speck Alto Adige PGI, you can learn more here: https://uncommoneurope.eu/speck-alto-adige-pgi/.
2. Add Fresh Veggies.
The richness of the Asiago PDO and the smokiness of the Speck Alto Adige PGI make the perfect foundation for this savory ham and cheese quiche that can only be enhanced by fresh veggies. I made this recipe for myself and my little one who unfortunately is at the stage in life (she’s 3.5) where vegetables are a fight. But if I were to make it for just me, I’d probably add some spinach and mushrooms. For my parents, I’d probably add some green and red peppers with some diced onions. The options are limitless!
3. When you think you’ve made enough, make more!
This recipe makes 6-8 servings (depending on how big you want your pieces to be), but trust me, you’re going to want to make more! This recipe also freezes really well, so if you want to prepare your breakfasts for the week ahead of time, you can make one quiche to eat and another batch to pour into muffin tins to freeze for a quick on-the-go breakfast through the week!
Savory Ham and Cheese Quiche with Asiago PDO and Speck Alto Adige PGI
Ingredients
- 1 refrigerated pie crust
- 8 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup chopped Speck Alto Adige PGI
- 1 1/2 cups Shredded Asiago PDO
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped chives
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- Unroll pie crust and press into tart pan or pie plate.
- In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Pour chopped Speck Alto Adige PGI, shredded fresh Asiago PDO, and chives into the egg mixture and combine thoroughly.
- Pour mixture into tart pan (or pie plate) on top of crust.
- Finely shred aged Asiago PDO on top of egg mixture prior to putting in the oven.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes.