n elevated quiche is a beloved breakfast dish known for its careful preparation. It impresses with its buttery crust, creamy filling, and cheesy top. While classics like quiche Lorraine are timeless, adding unique ingredients can take it to new levels.

Michelle McGlinn’s smoked salmon and spring vegetable quiche combines seasonal flavors: fragrant leeks, peas, dill, and creamy mozzarella in a flaky pie crust. Each slice is drizzled with a crème fraîche and caper sauce for extra flavor.

Ingredients:

For the crust:

• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ½ teaspoon + ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons chilled butter, cubed
• ¼ cup very cold water

For the filling:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup chopped leeks
• 4 ounces smoked salmon, torn into pieces
• ½ cup peas
• 4 large eggs
• 2 cups heavy cream
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
• ½ cup fresh mozzarella, torn into pieces

For the sauce:

• ½ cup crème fraîche
• 1 teaspoon capers with juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Instructions:

Make the crust:

1. Combine flour, sugar, and ½ teaspoon salt in a food processor. Pulse until mixed.
2. Add chilled butter and pulse until mixture resembles pea-sized pieces.
3. Slowly add cold water, pulsing until dough forms a ball.
4. Knead dough on a floured surface for 3 minutes, then shape into a ball. Wrap in plastic and chill for 2 hours.

Prepare the crust:

1. Roll dough into a 12-inch circle and press into a 9-inch pie tin. Chill for 30 minutes while preheating oven to 375°F.
2. Line crust with parchment paper, fill with pie weights or dried beans, and blind-bake for 20 minutes until firm and lightly golden. Remove weights and parchment, then poke holes in the crust with a fork. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.

Prepare the filling: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté leeks until soft, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer to pie crust, add smoked salmon and peas.

Make the custard: Whisk together eggs, heavy cream, ⅛ teaspoon salt, and pepper in a bowl. Pour into pie shell. Top with dill and mozzarella.

Bake the quiche: Bake for 40-50 minutes until center is set.

Prepare the sauce: While quiche bakes, mix crème fraîche, capers with juice, and lemon juice in a bowl.

Let quiche cool for 10 minutes before slicing. Drizzle each slice with crème fraîche mixture and garnish with fresh dill and extra salmon if desired.

Re-reported from the article originally published in TASTINGTABLES.