Hands off: 30 minutes

I love to eat soufflés, and one of my favorite recipes is in the classic cookbook The Enchanted Broccoli Forest by Mollie Katzen. However, soufflés are not exactly Hands Off, so I developed this quiche version. You can certainly make your own crust, but the frozen deep-dish crusts in most grocery stores work very well for this. I’ve also made the recipe with soy milk before and it was just as good. Note that there is a waiting time at the end of cooking for the custard to firm up before you can cut it.

Serves 4 to 6

1 pear
3 large eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup packed shredded fontina or Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
One 9-inch deep-dish pie crust, frozen

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
   
2. On a grater with large holes, grate the pear, skin and all, stopping short of the core on each side.
   
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, and cinnamon. Stir in the pear and the Fontina cheese. Pour the mixture into the crust and top it with the Parmesan cheese.
   
4. Bake the quiche for 30 minutes, or until it is puffed and golden. The center will still be a little wobbly, which is okay. Remove the quiche to a cooling rack or trivet and let it sit for 30 minutes before you cut it. Serve it warm or refrigerate it and eat it cold for a refreshing lunch or breakfast treat!