Thomas Keller's Quiche

Ingredients

• For the shell:
• 2 cups flour, sifted, plus a little more for rolling
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1/4 cup ice water
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• For the quiche:
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 6 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
• 6 gratings fresh nutmeg

Directions

1. For the Shell: Add 1 cup of the flour and the salt to the bowl of a sturdy stand mixer with the paddle attached. Run the mixer on low, dropping in the butter by small handfuls. After the butter is in, raise the mixer to medium and let it work until the butter disappears into the flour. Lower the speed again, add the rest of the flour, and mix only until it comes together. Drizzle in the water gradually, mixing until the dough clings to the paddle and leaves the bowl sides clean. The dough should be smooth to the touch, not tacky. Take it out of the mixer and look for any obvious bits of butter; if you see any, put the dough back in and mix it just a little longer. Shape the dough into a 7- to 8-inch disk, cover it with plastic wrap, and chill it for at least 1 hour or up to a day.
2. Coat the inside of a 9-by-2-inch tart pan with a removable bottom lightly with canola oil, then set the pan on a jelly roll pan. Put the chilled dough on a floured counter and dust the dough all over with flour. Use a rolling pin or the heel of your hand to press it into a wider round. Roll across the dough a few times, rotate it 90 degrees, and roll again. Repeat that turning and rolling until the dough is 1/4-inch thick and roughly 14 inches across. If the room is warm and the dough starts getting too soft, slide it onto a baking sheet and chill it for a few minutes.
3. To transfer the dough, set the rolling pin across it about 1/4 of the way in from the lower edge. Lift that lower edge over the pin, then wrap the dough around the pin. Pick it up and position it over the tart pan so it is centered. Ease the dough down into the pan, nudging it softly into the base and up the sides. Cut away any dough hanging more than an inch past the pan’s edge, and save those pieces. Turn the overhanging dough down along the outside of the ring. Look closely for cracks or holes, using the saved dough to mend them as needed. Chill the lined pan in the refrigerator or freezer for at least 20 minutes so the butter firms up again. Save any dough scraps that are left.
4. Set an oven rack in the center position and heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Fit the shell with a 15-inch circle of parchment. Add pie weights or dried beans, easing them into the edges and filling the shell all the way. Bake until the rim has taken on a pale golden color while the base remains light, 35 to 45 minutes.
5. Lift out the parchment and weights with care. Inspect the shell again, and if any cracks or holes have appeared, cover them with very thin pieces of the reserved dough. Put the shell back in the oven and bake until the bottom is deeply golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Take it out and leave it on the jellyroll pan until completely cool. Before adding the quiche batter, check once more for cracks or holes and patch anything that needs it.
6. For the Quiche: Pour the milk and cream into a large saucepan and warm over medium heat until scalded, which means a skin starts to appear on top. Take the pan off the heat and let the mixture cool slightly, 10 to 15 minutes.
7. In a blender, combine 3 eggs with half of the milk and cream mixture, plus 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and 3 gratings of nutmeg. Blend on low for about 5 seconds to combine well, then turn the blender to high and process until the mixture looks airy and foamy, about 30 seconds.
8. This makes the first layer of the quiche. After that layer is assembled, put the remaining ingredients in the blender and follow the same blending process to finish the quiche.
9. Bake for 1 hour, 15 minutes, until the surface is browned and the custard holds steady when you gently jiggle the pan. Take the quiche out of the oven and let it rest 15 minutes before serving, or let it cool and refrigerate until fully chilled, at least 1 day, or up to 3 days.
10. When the quiche is thoroughly cold, use a metal bench scraper or a sharp knife to shave off the extra crust along the top edge. Turn a large bowl upside down on your work surface, then set the quiche pan on top. Carefully release the outer ring, loosening any stubborn spots with a small knife if needed. Put the quiche back in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve it.
11. To serve, heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Cover a baking sheet with parchment that has been lightly oiled. With a long serrated knife, steady the crust with your other hand and saw gently through the outer edge. Change to a long slicing knife and cut down through the custard and bottom crust. Continue until the quiche is divided into 8 to 10 pieces. Arrange the slices on the baking sheet and warm them for 15 minutes, or until heated through. To test, hold a metal skewer in the quiche for several seconds, then touch the skewer to your lip to gauge the temperature.