Hashbrown Crust Quiche with Leeks, Gruyère & Chive Oil
A spring brunch quiche with a crisp hashbrown crust made from freshly grated russet potatoes, silky leek and Gruyère custard, and a bright drizzle of chive oil for finishing.
Ingredients
For The Hashbrown Crust
- 1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes peeled or well scrubbed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or melted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 cup Parmesan finely grated, optional
For The Filling
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 large leeks white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
- 6 large eggs
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 1 1/4 cups Gruyère grated
- 2 tablespoons fresh chives finely chopped
For Finishing
- chive oil for drizzling
- flaky salt
- extra chives optional
Instructions
- Prep The Pan: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan and wrap the outside bottom in foil.
- Grate And Dry The Potatoes: Using the large holes of a box grater, grate the russet potatoes. Transfer them to a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out as much moisture as possible.
- Season The Potatoes: Toss the grated potatoes with olive oil or melted butter, sea salt, and Parmesan.
- Form The Crust: Press the potatoes firmly into the bottom of the springform pan and about 1 1/2 to 2 inches up the sides, keeping the crust about 1/4 inch thick.
- Freeze The Crust: Place the crust in the freezer for about an hour to help the crust set.
- Prebake: Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until lightly golden and beginning to crisp.
- Brush the crust lightly with olive oil and return it to the oven for 5 minutes to help seal and crisp the surface.
- Lower The Heat: Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.
- Cook The Leeks: Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat and cook the leeks until soft and tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool slightly.
- Whisk The Custard: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, Dijon mustard, sea salt, and black pepper until smooth. Fold in the cooked leeks, chives, and half of the Gruyère cheese.
- Assemble The Quiche: Scatter the remaining half of the cheese over the crust, then pour the egg mixture gently over the top.
- Bake: Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the center is just set and no longer jiggly. If the edges begin to brown too quickly, loosely wrap the top edge with foil during baking.
- Rest: Let the quiche rest for 20 minutes before unlatching the springform pan.
- Finish And Serve: Drizzle with chive oil and finish with flaky salt and extra chives, if desired.
Notes
Freshly grated russet potatoes create a crisper, more structured crust than prepared hashbrowns. Squeezing the potatoes well and keeping the crust fairly thin are the keys to good texture. If the edges begin to brown too quickly during the final bake, loosely wrap the top edge with foil.