Easy Puff Pastry Ham and Egg Pie for Mother’s Day

 “Motherhood is a choice you make every day, to put someone else’s happiness and well-being ahead of your own, to teach the hard lessons, to do the right thing even when you’re not sure what the right thing is…and to forgive yourself, over and over again, for doing everything wrong.”
~ Donna Ball

It’s Mother’s Day this Sunday, May 12.

This simple ham and egg pie (or quiche if you’d rather) is simple enough for kids and non-cooks to attempt. It’s easy to modify the recipe too, to incorporate other ingredients or to make it bigger or smaller.

It makes a delicious breakfast or brunch dish, and can be eaten warm or prepared in advance and eaten cold. Warning, if you use a lot of cheese the pie might be a bit gooey straight out of the oven. Letting it sit for fifteen minutes before you cut into it will help it firm up. Or, just enjoy it cheesy-gooey if that’s your thing. I certainly like it like that!

Serve it on its own or with a side salad, some crusty fresh bread and a good chutney or relish. Any leftovers will keep, refrigerated, for three days.

Don’t have a mum or a grandmother to bake for? How about preparing it for an elderly neighbour, an overworked mum you know, or someone who is mourning the loss of a parent or child.

It’s also perfectly fine to bake it for yourself!

Hugs and love, Nicole ❤ xx

Ingredients

• 1 sheet of pre-prepared puff pastry (use gluten-free if that’s an issue for you) *Hint, have an extra sheet on hand just in case 1 isn’t quite enough for your dish
• 1 medium onion, diced and softened in a frypan over medium heat with a small amount of olive oil to grease the pan (don’t let it brown, just colour it up slightly)
• 1 cup cooked ham, chopped
• 1 cup cubed or grated cheese (I love using Swiss or Jarlsberg cheese but use whatever you have to hand)
• salt and pepper
• 6 large eggs
• 1 cup of milk or cream
• optional but good – some fresh green shallots or chives finely chopped
• butter to grease the dish
• one pie or casserole dish at least 22cm in diameter, with sides at least 4 cm high

Want to make this vegetarian? Omit the ham and use a cup of other vegetables of your choice. Capsicum (bell pepper), mushrooms and broccoli are favourites of mine. Once you’ve made this quiche a few times you’ll be confident to change out the ingredients to make all kinds of flavour combinations.

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees celcius.
2. Rub a little oil or butter around the inside of your pie dish and then line it with the pastry making sure that you go all the way to the top of the dish. It’s okay to cut pieces to fit. Just overlap them a little and then press them together well. It’s even okay if the pastry sticks over the top a little. Rustic is good too.
3. Layer the cheese, ham and onion or whatever ingredients you have chosen onto the pastry crust.
4. Break the eggs into a bowl, add the cream and beat together with a fork. Add salt and pepper and fresh herbs if you are using them and mix again.
5. Pour egg mixture gently into pie shell.
6. Bake for thirty to forty minutes or until quiche is lightly coloured and firm to touch. How can you tell if it’s cooked? When you give the pie a nudge the centre of the pie shouldn’t move. If there is movement or a wobble it’s not cooked through. Put it back in the oven and give it a bit more time if it’s still wobbly.