For most of our married life (almost 30 years!) Eric’s uncle has sent us a box of Harry & David Royal Riviera Pears for Christmas. We look forward to them every year. Eric loves pears and since Creed is his uncle, Eric claims most of the pears as his own. Just kidding! We all enjoy the pears with breakfast and as snacks. And they are so delicious! Too delicious to use in recipes. But I am always on the lookout for recipes using pears as they are a favorite here.
Quiche (literally “cake”) originated in Germany, although it is considered a classic French dish. It is a rich custard of eggs & cream or milk baked in pastry that contains a savory filling. It is perfect for a crowd, which is what we have at Christmas. We travel back to our hometown where our parents still live in the houses we grew up in. Being from the same hometown means we get to spend time with both mine & Eric’s families over the holiday. Whether we are at my parents’ house or Eric’s mom’s house, there is always a hungry crowd. A seasonal quiche goes a long way towards satisfying the masses. But don’t use the Harry & David Royal Riviera pears in this; eat those all by themselves, savoring each bite!
Ham, Blue Cheese & Pear Quiche
Ham, Blue Cheese & Pear Quiche (adapted from My Paris Kitchen: Recipes and Stories by David Lebovitz) Serves 8-12
Crust:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup cornmeal
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
- 1 large egg
Filling:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large, firm, ripe pear, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 cup (4.5 ounces) diced cooked ham
- 1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 4 large eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 1/2 cups (5 ounces) crumbled blue cheese or Roquefort
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
Directions:
To make the crust, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, cornmeal, and salt. Add the butter and beat on low speed until the butter is broken up and the mixture is sandy. Add the egg and mix until the dough begins to clump and come together. Shape the dough into a disk and wrap it in plastic. Chill it for at least 30 minutes. The dough can be made up to 2 days in advance.
Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface until it’s 14 inches across. Wrap aluminum foil around the outside of a 9- or 10-inch springform pan to catch any leaks. Transfer the dough to the pan, pressing the dough against the sides and allowing it to come close to the top of the sides of the pan. Patch any cracks with a bit of dough from the edges so the filling doesn’t leak out during baking. Chill the dough in the pan while making the filling.
The crust needs to be as high up the sides of the pan as possible to contain the filling.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. To make the filling, heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook the shallots with some salt and pepper until they are soft and translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove them from the heat and stir in the diced pear and ham. Set it aside.
Saute the shallots, then add the ham & pear.
In a large bowl, blend together the cream, cream cheese, nutmeg, eggs and the egg yolks until it is all smooth. Stir in the blue cheese, the pear and ham mixture, then the parsley.
Combine the filling ingredients thoroughly.
Set the springform pan on a rimmed baking sheet and pour in the filling, making sure the ingredients in the filling are evenly distributed.
Pour the filling into the crust.
Bake the tart for 45 to 50 minutes, until the top is lightly browned. Cover the top, and continue to bake to an internal temperature over 160° or a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the quiche cool until it is firm enough to slice, about 15 minutes, then serve it warm or at room temperature.
A hit with all the family!
Being with family & sharing good food is what makes Christmas special! ~Linda
Ham, Blue Cheese & Pear Quiche (adapted from My Paris Kitchen: Recipes and Stories by David Lebovitz) Serves 8-12
Crust:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup cornmeal
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
- 1 large egg
Filling:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large, firm, ripe pear, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 cup (4.5 ounces) diced cooked ham
- 1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 4 large eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 1/2 cups (5 ounces) crumbled blue cheese or Roquefort
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
Directions:
To make the crust, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, cornmeal, and salt. Add the butter and beat on low speed until the butter is broken up and the mixture is sandy. Add the egg and mix until the dough begins to clump and come together. Shape the dough into a disk and wrap it in plastic. Chill it for at least 30 minutes. The dough can be made up to 2 days in advance.
Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface until it’s 14 inches across. Wrap aluminum foil around the outside of a 9- or 10-inch springform pan to catch any leaks. Transfer the dough to the pan, pressing the dough against the sides and allowing it to come close to the top of the sides of the pan. Patch any cracks with a bit of dough from the edges so the filling doesn’t leak out during baking. Chill the dough in the pan while making the filling.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. To make the filling, heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook the shallots with some salt and pepper until they are soft and translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove them from the heat and stir in the diced pear and ham. Set is aside.
In a large bowl, blend together the cream, cream cheese, nutmeg, eggs and the egg yolks until it is all smooth. Stir in the blue cheese, the pear and ham mixture, then the parsley.
Set the springform pan on a rimmed baking sheet and pour in the filling, making sure the ingredients in the filling are evenly distributed. Bake the tart for 45 to 50 minutes, until the top is lightly browned. Cover the top, and continue to bake to an internal temperature over 160° or a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the quiche cool until it is firm enough to slice, about 15 minutes, then serve it warm or at room temperature.