Three Cheese Ham & Tomato Basil Quiche

written by Tamara Styer

I’m often looking for a great recipe for brunch or a quick breakfast on the go, and quiche is my go-to. This particular quiche recipe came about when my mom loosely followed another recipe. She does this with most recipes, and with her natural knack for cooking tasty dishes, her own creations always turn out even more scrumptious than the original recipe. I have inherited this flair for switching up recipes and ingredients from my mom, and find it usually works quite well just to add a bit of my own flavor to the meals I make at home.  This quiche is creamy, cheesy and is bursting with the tastes of summer heirloom tomato and fresh garden basil. And who can have breakfast without some sort of pork product added into the mix? With either smoky bacon or spiral cut ham, this quiche has become my latest craving. Next, I’ll have to tackle making my own crust!

Preheat 350°F        

spiral ham, cut into bite sized thin slices

1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese

1/2 cup shredded cheddar

1/4 c freshly grated parmesan 

fresh basil leaves

1 heirloom tomato 

4 eggs

1 cup heavy whipping cream

salt & pepper to taste

dash crushed red pepper flakes

homemade or store-bought pie crust

Lightly grease a 9 inch glass pie plate and press pie crust on the bottom, and then crimp. 

Layer ham on bottom of pie, followed by all three cheeses.

Layer sliced tomatoes and basil on top.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together cream & eggs, then season with salt, pepper & red crushed pepper flakes. 

Pour the mixture over the pie carefully. 

Bake at 350°F for 40-50 minutes until knife inserted into center comes out clean.

(Chef’s Note: The egg mixture won’t come to the top of the pie, but will rise in the oven.)

*One thing I wish I would have done with this recipe is to brush an egg wash onto the crimped crust. To do this, whisk up an egg with a splash of cold water or milk until pale yellow and perfectly mixed. Just before the quiche goes into the oven, use a pastry brush and paint the exposed crust with a light, even coat of egg wash. It’ll make the pie crust extra shiny and golden when it comes out of the oven.

Let stand 5 minutes and cut into wedges. Serve warm, but also great served cold. To store, Cover with foil and put into fridge. Serve at your next brunch gathering or do like I do and have it as a nice midnight snack! 

The combination of cheese, ham, tomato and basil keep this pie from tasting too “eggy.” It’s creamy, cheesy, savory, and delicious!

Tamara Styer is the Editor-In-Chief of Branson Foodie Magazine and Deitra Magazine.