Sheet Quiche with Asparagus and Leeks

This is a quiche for the crust lovers. Baked in a rimmed quarter sheet pan, this quiche boasts an ideal pastry-to-filling ratio and features tender seasonal asparagus, sweet leeks, and gooey, melty cheese. While making a quiche is generally a time-consuming task, this recipe takes advantage of some time-saving shortcuts, like using store-bought puff pastry and cooking the veggies in the oven rather than on the stovetop. This quiche easily feeds 6 to 8 people, but the recipe can be doubled and baked in a standard half sheet pan if you’re looking to feed a crowd.

6-8 servings

1. Parbake the crust: Cut one of the sheets of puff pastry in half and join it with the full sheet by overlapping them slightly and pressing firmly to seal. If the dough is not sticking or is very floury, brush a small amount of water between the two pieces of dough to help them stick. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll it into a 16×12-inch rectangle (or a rectangle a couple inches larger than your sheet pan).
2. Lay the dough into the sheet pan, making sure there is no space between the dough and the pan, especially in the corners. The dough should come up over the sides of the sheet pan.
3. Fold the edges of the dough backward so that they sit right on the lip of the sheet pan. Flute or crimp the folded edge of the dough as desired, ensuring that it stays on the lip of the pan and doesn’t hang over. Use a fork to prick small holes all over the surface of the dough. Chill in the refrigerator or freezer until the dough is firm to the touch, 10 to 20 minutes.
4. Heat the oven to 425°F. Line the chilled dough with a large piece of parchment paper or foil, ensuring that whichever you use comes up the sides higher than the dough. Fill with pie weights of choice. Place the pan in the oven and reduce the heat to 375°F. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the visible crust is golden brown. Carefully remove the pie weights and continue cooking for about 10 minutes more, or until the bottom of the crust is light golden brown and dry to the touch. If the surface of the crust becomes puffy at any point, use the bottom of a measuring cup to gently flatten it back down. Set aside to cool.
5. Roast the veggies: Increase the oven temperature to 400°F. Place the asparagus and sliced leeks on a baking sheet. The asparagus will likely take up most of the space, so place the leeks at one end of the pan in a mostly flat layer. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for about 15 minutes, giving everything a flip halfway through, until the asparagus is tender and the leeks are beginning to brown. Set aside to cool.
6. Make the quiche custard: In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, ¼ teaspoon salt, a few grinds of pepper, and a pinch of ground nutmeg, if using. Whisk well until homogenous.
7. Reduce the oven heat to 350°F. Place the cooked leek, asparagus, and cubed cheese inside the parbaked crust. Toss to evenly distribute the veggies and cheese, tastefully arrange the top layer of asparagus as desired, then carefully pour in the quiche custard. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the filling is set. Let cool for at least 30 minutes before serving for clean, easy slicing.