¼cupcooked bacon or hamfinely diced into 1/8-inch cubes
¼cupshredded cheddar, mozzarella, parmesan, Swiss, or a mixture of cheeses
¼cupfinely diced red bell pepper, thinly sliced green onions, or wilted spinach, finely chopped into 1/8-inch pieces
Instructions
For the pie crust: Add the flour and salt to a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse 10 to 20 times, until the mixture has a sandy texture with some larger and some smaller chunks. While pulsing, slowly add the ice water 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough sticks together when pressed between your forefinger and thumb.
Transfer the dough to a clean work surface and shape it into a 1-inch-thick disk, handling it as little as possible to prevent it from becoming tough. Wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 2 hours or up to 3 days.
When ready to roll, if necessary, let the dough soften up on the counter for 2 to 3 minutes. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough until it is ¼ inch thick (the shape doesn’t matter).
Generously grease a mini muffin pan with nonstick spray, or place a mini silicone muffin pan on a baking sheet. With a 2½-inch round cutter, cut the dough into 24 rounds, re-rolling the scraps as necessary. Gently stretch each round of dough a bit and place it into a muffin well. Gently press it to the bottom of the well. Chill the muffin pans in the fridge while you make the filling.
Preheat the oven to 375°F with a rack in the center.
For the filling: In a large mixing bowl (with a spout if you have one) or large measuring cup, whisk together the eggs, milk, and salt until totally smooth and the egg whites are fully broken up (this will take some elbow grease; it's character building).
Divide the meat, cheese, and vegetables between the prepared crusts in the muffin tin.
Divide the egg mixture between the muffin cups, leaving ¼ inch of space at the top of each cup for the filling to expand.
Bake the mini quiches for 25 to 27 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and the centers are set when you peek with a butter knife.
Place on a wire rack and let cool in the pan for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, or serve warm.
Notes
You'll have a little bit of leftover pie crust. For a fun treat, roll it out and cut into strips. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, then bake.
If using a water vegetable such as spinach or mushrooms, saute them first to remove excess moisture so the quiches do not become watery.
Nutritional information is calculated for the base of the quiches only, as the cheese, meat, and veggies you choose will cause variation in these calculations.
TO STORE: Let the mini quiches cool on a wire rack, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for 3 to 4 days.
TO REHEAT: For best results, warm the quiches in a 350ºF oven until heated through. The microwave also works, but the crust will be soggy. (You can also eat the quiches chilled or at room temperature.)
TO FREEZE: Place the cooled quiches on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag or airtight container and store for up to 2 months. You can reheat the quiches from frozen.