Michael Ruhlman says this classic quiche recipe can be made with a wide variety of fillings, as long as it's baked in a 9-inch cake pan or ring mold (a springform pan will leak). He likes to treat the quiche like a cake, pressing the dough into a parchment-lined pan, so that even if it does leak through the crust, the quiche will still be thick and creamy.
To make the crust: Combine the flour, fat and salt in a mixing bowl and rub the fat between your fingers until you have small beads of fat and plenty of pea-sized chunks. Gradually add the ice water and mix gently, just until combined – if you work the dough too hard it will become tough. Shape the dough into a disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or up to 24 hours.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a 9-inch cake pan (or a ring mold placed on a baking sheet) with parchment. Roll the dough into a circle about 1/4-inch thick. Roll it over the rolling pin to lift it and unroll it over the parchment-lined cake pan, pressing the dough into the corners (use a scrap of dough to do this to avoid tearing the dough with your fingers).
To blind bake the crust, you need to fill the shell with pie weights or dried beans to keep the bottom from buckling up. Line the bottom of your shell with another layer of parchment, then add the pie weights or beans and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the parchment and weights or beans, and continue baking until the crust is golden brown and cooked through, another 10 to 15 minutes. Cool completely.
To make the quiche: Heat 2 teaspoons of the vegetable oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. When hot, add the chorizo and sauté for a few minutes till warm; remove to a plate lined with paper towels. Add the onions to the same pan with the rendered chorizo fat, along with a four-finger pinch of salt, and sauté until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the roasted peppers and stir just to combine (they don't need further cooking). Remove from the heat and add to the plate with the chorizo. (The fillings can be made up to one day ahead, as can the quiche shell, either raw or blind-baked).
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Use raw leftover dough to patch any cracks that opened in the quiche shell as it baked. Place it on a baking sheet.
In a large liquid measure or mixing bowl, combine the milk, cream, eggs, salt, pepper and nutmeg and, using a hand blender or a wire whisk, mix until frothy.
Layer half of the chorizo mixture into the shell. Pour half of the frothy custard over the mixture. Sprinkle with half of the cheese. Layer with the remaining chorizo mixture. Refroth the batter and pour the rest into the shell. (You may want to put the baking sheet with the quiche shell into the oven and pour the remaining batter into it there so you get every bit into the shell and fill to the very top.) Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top. Bake until the center of the quiche is just set, about 1-1/2 hours (it may take as long as 2 hours, but don't overcook it; there should still be some jiggle in the center when you take it out of the oven).
Allow the quiche to cool, then cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate it until it's completely chilled. The quiche will keep for up to 5 days.
To remove and serve the quiche, use a knife to cut off the top edges of the crust along the rim, or simply break them off by hand. Tug the parchment gently and lift the quiche from the cake pan; if using a ring simply press on the bottom once the sides are loosened.
Slice and serve cold. Or, to serve hot, slice and reheat for 15 minutes in a 350 degree oven on lightly oiled parchment or foil, or cover with plastic and microwave for 1 minute.
Note: The quantity of water used to make the crust depends on the fat. Whole butter has water in it, so you only need to add a couple of ounces; shortening and lard do not contain water, and thus need more.
Note: To roast bell peppers, set them directly over a gas flame and cook all surfaces until they are black. You can also halve them and broil them, cut sides down, till black. Remove them to a paper bag or put in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap till cooled. Remove the charred skin under cold running water. To use, remove the stem and seeds and cut as directed.
