Nick Malgieri
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Nick Malgieri

Quiche au Gruyere

Adapted from La Maison de Gruyere, Pringy, Canton Fribourg.

If I had to name a favorite savory pie it would be this one, hands down. Gruyere has a perfect flavor and texture for melting into a custardy filling. The recipe below is for a tart that’s considerably thinner than the one in the photo – much easier and much less time to prepare and to bake. To serve the tart with the mixed salad as pictured see Gemischter Salat in the SWISS recipes column on this website.

Makes one 11- or 12-inch tart, about 8 servings

Pastry Dough

2 cups all-purpose flour (spoon flour into dry-measure cup and level off)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cut into 8 or 10 pieces

5 tablespoons cold water

Cheese Filling

1 1/2 cups (about 4 ounces) coarsely grated Swiss Gruyere

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups heavy whipping cream or half and half

3 large eggs

1/4 teaspoon salt

One 11- or 12-inch tart pan with removable bottom

  1. Set a rack in the lowest level of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees.
  2. For the dough, combine the dry ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and pulse several times to mix. Add the butter and pulse until the butter is in 1/4-inch pieces. Add the water and pulse until the dough forms a ball. Invert the dough to a floured work surface, carefully remove the blade, and form the dough into a thick disk.
  3. Flour the dough and roll it to a 14-inch disk. Fold the dough in half and transfer it to the pan, lining up the fold with the diameter of the pan. Unfold the dough into the pan and press it well into the bottom and sides of the pan. Use a bench scraper or the back of a knife to sever the excess dough at the rim of the pan.
  4. To prepare the filling, toss the cheese with the flour and distribute it evenly on the pastry crust. Whisk the remaining ingredients together and pour over the cheese.
  5. Bake the tart until the crust is baked through and the filling is set and well colored, 30 to 40 minutes.
  6. Cool the tart in the pan on a rack.