Peppered ham and gruyère quiche

Preparation

Baking Directions:

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, fine salt, cracked black pepper, a pinch of fresh grated nutmeg, milk, and heavy cream.

Stir in grated gruyère cheese and diced ham.

Grease two bread loaf pans with softened butter, line with parchment paper, then grease paper with butter.

Divide the batter evenly into the two pans and place on a baking tray.

Bake at 300 degrees F for 10 minutes, rotate the tray 180 degrees, and continue to bake another 10-15 minutes, or until set.

Cool at room temperature, then chill in refrigerator.

Turn quiche onto a cutting board and cut into 80 cubes.

Place quiche cubes on pâte-brisée crackers* (or use store-bought square butter crackers) and garnish with baby watercress leaves.

* For the peppered pâte-brisée crackers: In a food processor, combine flour, salt, cracked black pepper, and sugar.

With the machine running, incorporate cold butter, 1 tablespoon at a time.

When the mix resembles fine meal, stream in ice water, or enough to pull the dough together.

Form dough into a disc and chill at least 1 hour.

Divide in half and shape into squares.

Roll each square between parchment paper to form sheets 1/16" thick; freeze.

Cut sheets into 1" squares and place 1" apart on parchment paper-lined sheet trays.

Bake at 325 degrees F for 10 minutes, then cover with another sheet of parchment paper and place another tray on top, with a weight, to prevent the dough from puffing.

Continue to bake another 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown; cool.

Baking can be done in batches.

Store in an airtight container up to 1 week.