Ham and Cheese Quiche

Time = 20 min prep + 35 min cook
Servings = 1 quiche (approx 6 servings each)
From = Cheryl Fitzsimmons

Ingredients

1 sheets of refrigerated pie crust (or frozen pie crust)
1 cups ham, fully cooked and diced (look for "ham steak" or similar. You can substitute = 6-8 pieces fully cooked bacon, diced.)
1 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
1 tsp dried onion, minced
4 large eggs
1 cups (227 g) half-and-half cream
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 350F. Unroll pie crusts into 1 x 9-inch pie plates. Flute edges. If using frozen pie crust, follow instructions on the package.
Line unpricked pie crusts with a double thickness of heavy-duty foil. Fill with pie weights, dried beans or uncooked rice. Blind bake crusts until light golden brown, approx 10-12 minutes. Remove foil and weights; bake until bottom is golden brown, 3-5 minutes longer. Cool on wire racks.
Divide ham, cheese and onion between crusts. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, cream, salt and pepper until blended. Pour into crusts.
Bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, approx 35-40 minutes. Quiche is finished when it’s puffy and set at the edges. It should have a slight wobble in the center and a knife inserted in the center should come out clean. Check the quiche halfway through cooking and tent with foil if needed.
Let stand 5-10 minutes before cutting and serving.

To store, tightly cover the dish, or transfer leftover slices to an airtight container. Quiche may be stored refrigerated for up to 4 days, but is best enjoyed within 1-2 days.
You can substitute milk or heavy cream, If using milk, the quiche will be thinner. Heavy cream gives the most "rich" quiche. I like using half-and-half because of its rich flavor, and it’s thick enough to create a robust egg custard. Do not use skim or fat-free milk. The custard will not set properly without the right amount of fat.
Prebaking the pie crust for quiche is not required; however, this extra step ensures the pie crust will cook fully without overcooking the filling. Otherwise, the crust might turn out soft or gummy.