I’ve never been very good at quiches. Sure, mix some eggs and milk and some meat and veggies and bake it in some kind of crust, but it usually comes out too eggy. I don’t want an omelette, I want something my fork can slice through like a custard.

There’s a cafe in Anchorage that used to serve the richest, most creamy quiche and I want quiche like that. I also can’t be bothered with a pastry crust, which is why I have come up with a potato crust based on that trendy dish where you smash potatoes with the bottom of a glass and bake them at high heat. Also, forget the quiche pan! Just bake it in a cast iron skillet. It’s non-stick and straight sided enough to support the potato crust after you cool it and serve up a slice.

Warm quiche out of the oven is good, but next day quiche after it’s solidified in the fridge is even better. And if you happen to have duck eggs, sub in a couple instead of chicken eggs and use one fewer chicken egg. It makes for a luxurious custardy quiche.

This recipe is flexible. Use whatever veggies suit you. Just chop them up small and parcook them first. Don’t have bacon? Use diced up ham or breakfast sausage. Don’t have cheddar? Use parmesan or gruyere.

The world is your quiche!

Skillet Quiche with Potato Crust

Serves 6-8
Total prep & cook time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 pounds baby Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed
• 1 ½ tablespoons salt for boiling potatoes, plus more for seasoning
• 4 ounces bacon or breakfast sausage
• ½ yellow onion or 6 green onions, diced
• 4 ounces veggies such as broccoli, asparagus, spinach (precooked and drained) and peas
• 1 tablespoon butter, plus extra
• 5 large eggs
• 1 egg yolk
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon 00 flour (AP flour would work too)
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
• ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheese , (sharp cheddar and/or parmigiano reggiano)
• Dots of butter

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450F. Place the whole, unpeeled potatoes to a large pot and add enough water to cover them by 1 inch. Bring to a boil, then add 1 ½ tablespoons salt. Reduce heat to medium and boil until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 20-30 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes. Drain well and set aside.

While the potatoes boil, chop the bacon into small pieces. Chop your veggies into small pieces as well. If using precooked spinach, squish out as much liquid as possible and finely chop.

Set a 10-inch cast iron pan (or a heavy-bottomed, oven-safe pan) over medium heat and add the bacon. Cook until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set in a small mixing bowl. Add the onions and veggies to the bacon fat and sauté, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. (If using precooked spinach, just add the onions in this step and add spinach to the bacon and onions after the onions are soft.) Transfer veggies to the bowl with the bacon, mix and set aside. 

Wipe out the skillet and place it in the oven until the potatoes are done. This will help make the crust crispier.

When the potatoes have cooled enough to handle, remove the skillet from the oven and coat it all over with the butter. Sprinkle the pan lightly with salt. Add the potatoes to the cast iron skillet in a single layer. 

Use the bottom of a glass or measuring cup to press the potatoes firmly into the bottom and about 1 inch up the sides of the pan, closing any gaps with a rubber spatula to form a crust. Place in the oven for 15 minutes then turn down the heat to 350F.

While the crust bakes, whisk the eggs, milk, cream, flour, ½ tsp salt, pepper, paprika, and nutmeg in a mixing bowl. Whisk vigorously for a minute to incorporate some air into the mixture. Stir in the bacon, onion and cheese. 

Remove the skillet from the oven. Pour the filling into the potato crust. Top with dots of butter. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the filling is set (it shouldn’t jiggle when you jolt the pan) and is an internal temperature of 160F. Let cool for 15 minutes.