Favourite Italian Quiche

An Italian-leaning quiche that uses ricotta instead of heavy cream as the custard base, which is what gives it that pillowy, slightly tangy interior closer to a savory cheesecake than a standard French quiche. Five ingredients: pre-baked shell, eggs, two cheeses, and smoked Italian sausage. That’s the whole game.

The pre-bake on the pie shell is a step that pays you back later. Pouring wet custard into raw pastry guarantees a soggy bottom. Blind-baking the crust until it just starts to color gives the dough a head start and a barrier against the egg mixture. The low oven keeps the custard setting gently without weeping or curdling around the edges.

Pro Tips

• Choose a deep-dish (9-inch) pie shell. The filling is generous and a regular pie plate will overflow.
• Pull the quiche when the center wobbles slightly when shaken. It will firm up as it cools. Bake too long and the eggs turn rubbery.
• Whisk the eggs and ricotta until smooth before adding to the shell. Lumpy ricotta makes uneven custard.
• Let the quiche rest at least 10 minutes before slicing so the eggs settle and the cuts stay clean.

Variations

• Use crumbled Italian sausage (sweet or hot) in place of smoked sausage links.
• Fold in ½ cup chopped spinach or roasted red peppers for color and vegetables.
• Top with thin slices of fresh tomato and a sprinkle of basil before baking for a Margherita feel.