Broccoli Quiche with Homemade Butter Crust

This quiche can be served for any meal, says food and lifestyle blogger Eden Passante, who created the award-winning website Sugar and Charm. The filling has a light, fluffy texture, and the Jarlsberg cheese gives it a distinctive nutty flavor. The crust, flaky and buttery, is her go-to recipe for all pies and quiches. If pressed for time, use a good-quality store-bought crust instead. Featured in Eden’s first cookbook, Entertaining with Charm, the quiche makes an impressive centerpiece for get-togethers during the spring.
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 2 1/2 cups (10.6 oz./300 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 Tbs. sugar
- 1 tsp. salt
- 16 Tbs. (2 sticks) (8 oz./250 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 1/4 cup (1 5/8 oz./46 g) cold vegetable shortening, such as Crisco
- 5 Tbs. ice water, plus more if needed
For the filling:
- 1 1/2 cups (6 oz./185 g) chopped broccoli
- 1 1/2 cups (6 oz./185 g) shredded Jarlsberg cheese
- 1/2 cup (2 oz./60 g) shaved Parmesan cheese
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup (8 fl. oz./250 ml) heavy cream
- 1/2 small yellow onion, grated (use the small holes on a box grater)
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1/8 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
Directions
To make the crust, in a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar and salt, mixing well. Scatter the butter over the top and, using a pastry blender or your fingers, work in the butter until it is the size of peas. Add the shortening and work it in with your fingers until the mixture is the consistency of coarse crumbs. Do not overmix. The mixture should be dry and powdery. Sprinkle with the ice water and mix it in with your fingers until the dough holds together when pinched and comes together in a loose, rough ball. If the dough crumbles, add a little more ice water.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and pat it into a thick disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Roll out the dough into a 12-inch (30-cm) round about 1/2 inch (12 mm) thick. Roll the dough around the rolling pin and position the pin over a 10-inch (25-cm) deep-dish pie dish. Unroll the dough and center it in the dish, gently pressing it into the bottom and up the sides. Using a small knife or kitchen scissors, trim the dough, leaving a 1-inch (2.5-cm) overhang. Roll the overhang under itself to create a high edge, then pinch the dough to form a fluted edge. Freeze the crust for 30 minutes.
Preheat an oven to 350°F (180°C).
To make the filling, half fill a fry pan with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the broccoli, reduce the heat to medium, cover and cook until crisp-tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup (4 oz./125 g) of the Jarlsberg, the Parmesan, eggs, cream, onion, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper and the nutmeg, mixing well. Fold in the broccoli.
Remove the crust from the freezer and pour the filling into it. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup (2 oz./60 g) Jarlsberg over the top. Brush the edge of the crust with the beaten egg. Bake the quiche until the filling is just set and the top is golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer the pie dish to a wire rack and let the quiche cool before serving. Serves 4 to 6.
Adapted from Entertaining with Charm by Eden Passante (Weldon Owen, 2024)