Makes two 9-inch pies

 

Ingredients:

2 frozen pie crusts, deep dish

2 Tablespoons butter

1 onion

1 cup baked ham

8 oz fresh mushrooms

2 cloves garlic

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

 

4 large eggs

2 cups milk

1 cup heavy cream

2 teaspoons coarse salt

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

 

2 cups grated Swiss cheese

1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

2-3 drop Tabasco sauce

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Remove frozen pie crusts from freezer. Allow to come to room temperature, about 10 minutes. Prick bottom and side of crust. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

 

Measure milk and cream and pour into sauce pan and heat to scalding. Milk will form bubbles around edge and the surface will have a wrinkly appearance. Turn off the heat and put the milk into the refrigerator to cool while you prepare everything else.

 

Cut the ham into small cubes. Chop the onion. Clean and cut the mushrooms into quarters. Peel and mince the garlic.

 

Heat a large skillet or dutch oven over high heat. Add the butter and allow to melt. Add the onions and cook until soft but not brown. Add the garlic to the onions. Cook for about 30 seconds and add the ham. Stir everything together. Allow the ham to warm up. Add all the mushrooms and the dried thyme and stir together. Turn the heat down to medium-low. Allow the mushrooms to heat up and release their liquid. Continue cooking until that liquid is gone, about 3-5 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent burning. Turn the heat down if it seems too high. Turn off the heat and set aside to cool a little.

 

While the ham mixture cools, grate the Swiss and parmesan cheeses. Break the eggs into a bowl. Add the cooled milk. Using a fork, beat the eggs and milk together to combine. Add salt, pepper, Tabasco and nutmeg to the mixture.

 

Layer the ham, onion and mushroom mixture on the bottom of the pie crust. Layer the Swiss cheese over the ham. Sprinkle about half the parmesan cheese over the Swiss cheese. Pour egg mixture over top. Sprinkle the remaining parmesan cheese on top.

 

Place pies on large baking sheet and bake in oven for 30 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting a clean knife into center. If it comes out clean, it is done, if not, return to oven and bake another 10 minutes.

 

Can be served warm or cold. Makes two 9-inch pies. Serves 8-12.

 

OPTIONS:

Crust: make the crust from scratch using your favorite recipe; make it without crust. (if you make a crustless quiche, be sure to sprinkle a good amount of parmesan cheese on a buttered pie pan and then add all the other ingredients).

Meatless: leave out the ham

Substitutions: use crisp bacon instead of ham; add blanched asparagus, broccoli or spinach; use different cheeses; add jalepeno chiles for more of a kick.