How to cook a decadent Easter morning brunch
‘Southern Grit’ cookbook author and ‘Top Chef’ Season 16 winner Kelsey Barnard Clark shares the best recipes for an Easter morning brunch on ‘Fox & Friends Weekend.’
For Easter Sunday, consider making a traditional quiche. They’re simple to make, crowd-pleasing and versatile given the number of add-ins you can include in the silky filling.
"Quiche has always been one of my favorite foods and is ideal for brunches, buffets and large gatherings because it is delicious served warm or at room temperature and some people even enjoy it cold," shares Chef Alina, recipe blogger at chefalina.com and gluten-free baking expert.
Chef Alina tells Fox News Digital that this recipe was a staple on the brunch menu at her restaurant and bakery for 15 years, and there's now a gluten-free version that's a favorite among diners.
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"The trick to perfect quiche is the balance between the egg, cream and add-ins – otherwise, it is just an omelet in a crust and good quiche is so much more than that," she adds.
Celebrate Easter this year with this delicious breakfast quiche by Chef Alina. (Chef Alina)
Quiche by Chef Alina
Makes 8 servings:
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Resting time: 30 minutes
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Ingredients:
1 unbaked pie crust (regular or gluten-free)
118 milliliters milk (4 ounces or ½ cup)
177 milliliters heavy cream (6 ounces or ¾ cup)
¼ teaspoon salt
120 grams cheese, shredded or crumbled (4 ounces or 1 cup)
1-2 cups add-ins*
Instructions:
Crust
1. Make the pie dough ahead of time/the night before. It needs to chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before rolling out and blind baking (next step).
2. Roll out the chilled dough on a floured work surface. Turn the dough about a quarter turn after every few rolls, until you have a circle 12-13 inches in diameter. Roll and wrap dough around a rolling pin, then transfer to a 9 to 9½-inch, deep-dish pie pan.
3. Unroll dough into pan, then shape into pan. Trim uneven edges while leaving about 1-inch overhang; tuck overhang underneath. Decorate edges as desired.
4. Freeze dough for 15 minutes, or refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Cover the pie crust with plastic wrap if chilling for longer than 30 minutes.
5. While the dough is chilling, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
6. Partially blind bake your crust ["Blind baking" refers to pre-baking a pie crust before any filling is added). Line the chilled pie crust with parchment paper, heavy duty plastic wrap or foil. Fill with pie weights, un-popped popcorn or dried beans. Make sure the weights are evenly distributed around the pie dish. If using plastic wrap, make sure to pull the excess into the middle, covering the beans and making sure it doesn't touch the pan or it will melt.
7. Bake for about 13-15 minutes, until the edges of the crust are barely starting to brown. Remove pie from the oven, and carefully lift the parchment paper (with the weights) out of the pie. Prick all around the bottom crust with a fork. Return the pie crust to the oven. Bake an additional 7-8 minutes, until the bottom crust is just beginning to brown. Remove from the oven, and set aside (crust can still be warm when you pour in the filling, and you can partially pre-bake the crust up to three days ahead of time). Cover the cooled crust tightly, and refrigerate until ready to fill.
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Filling
1. In a large bowl with a whisk or handheld mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the eggs, whole milk, heavy cream, salt and any herbs or spices together until completely combined. Do this for about one minute.
2. Starting with your cheese, add the mix-ins, alternating between cheese and whatever else you are using. Slowly pour the egg mixture over the top, and let it settle evenly.
3. Bake the quiche for about 45-55 minutes, until the center is just about set. Don’t overbake. Use a pie crust shield to prevent the pie crust edges from over-browning. Allow to cool for 15 minutes. You can also cool the quiche completely before serving. It’s delicious at room temperature (my personal favorite way to enjoy it!).
Gather your friends and family for your Easter brunch with the delicious, cheesy quiche. (iStock)
Recipe notes"
*Add-Ins
Whole Milk & Heavy Cream: Use this combination for the best texture. If desired, you can use one cup of half-and-half instead.
Cheese: Use anything you like – cheddar cheese, white cheddar cheese, Swiss cheese, Gruyère, smoked gouda, goat cheese and feta cheese.
Cooked Meat: Bacon, chicken, turkey, breakfast sausage, Italian sausage, chorizo, salami, pastrami, smoked salmon or cooked crab meat.
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Veggies: Corn, mushrooms, grape tomatoes (or sun-dried), bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, olives, kale, spinach, radicchio, arugula, peas, potatoes, zucchini, butternut squash, caramelized onion or shallot. Note that the vegetables should be cooked beforehand by sautéing, steaming or roasting, and any excess water should be drained or dried off.
Herbs & Spices: Basil, parsley, chives, tarragon, dill, thyme, marjoram, chervil, oregano, herbs de Provence, red pepper flakes, paprika, a tiny bit of nutmeg, hot sauce (whatever you love).
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This original recipe is owned by chefalina.com and was shared with Fox News Digital.
