Quiche is one of my favorite things to make. Making crusts for pies and such always intimidates me—you have to be so careful with temperature, process time, etc.—so I was thrilled to find a recipe online for a “Quick and Easy Quiche Crust.” It used no butter, no chill time, and no time-consuming rolling out. Just canola or olive oil blended with the dough, and the immeditely pressed into your quiche pan. I was over the moon!
Unfortunately, while it was “quick and easy,” it became apparent after several finished products using this crust (and a two-week trip to France) that it simply wasn’t that good. It was pretty good, but not phenomenal. Everything else about my quiche was fabulous, but the lack of a butter crust was ultimately detrimental to the overall taste and texture. So, I tried to find a balance between the butter method and this easier recipe that would both be relatively hassle-free, but still reminiscent of an authentic French crust that Julia Child would approve of.
Thankfully I managed to find that balance, and I am now really happy with the results. For two crusts, I use:
- 2 cups of King Arthur Perfect Pastry Blend flour (this also contributes to the nice flakiness)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 stick (4 tbsp.) of unsalted butter, cut into small chunks
- 1/4 cup of canola or olive oil
- 1/2 cup of very cold water
After blending the flour and salt, I cut in the butter with a food processor/blender. Then, like the original “Quick and Easy,” I mix the oil and water together until they are as blended as possible, and pour slowly into the processor and pulse until the dough forms. Then I wrap it up in plastic wrap and chill it for about 15 minutes, or as long as it takes for me to prepare the filling. I still don’t need to roll the dough out—I just spread it out in the pan with damp hands.
I really do love happy mediums.
