To Make the Crust:

1. Add the 264 g all-purpose flour and fine sea salt to a large mixing bowl.  Stir with a fork to combine.
2. Add the butter to the flour mixture.  Stir gently to cover the butter with the flour.  Then use a pastry cutter (also known as a pastry blender) to break the butter into smaller pieces. The butter pieces should be between the size of a pea and the size of a walnut.  The pieces will not be uniform and this is ideal!
3. Pour the 94 g of water evenly over the flour/butter mixture and stir very gently to combine with a fork.  The mixture should be shaggy but combined. If necessary, add water a tablespoon at a time until you get the correct consistency.  You should not need more than 2 additional tablespoons!
4. Shape the pie dough into a single fat disc and cover each disc with plastic wrap. Place in a refrigerator for at least two hours before rolling out.
5. After the initial chill, place flour on a pastry mat.  Place the dough disc atop the well-floured pastry mat.  Flour the top of the dough disc and also your rolling pin. Test to see if the dough is ready by gently tapping your rolling pin on top of the disc; if the rolling pin makes small indentations, you’re ready to roll. Gently roll to 1/4” thickness. If the dough breaks when rolling, allow the dough to sit for 2-3 minutes and then try again. Dough often breaks when the butter is still too cold from the refrigerator.
6. Once you’ve reached 1/4” thickness, fold the dough in half two times (for a photo tutorial, check out my Easy All-Butter Pie Crust post). Add flour as necessary and turn over the pie dough occasionally; don’t worry about over-flouring at this point.
7. After folding the dough, roll the dough again to 1/4” thickness.  Repeat this step one more time, for a total of three times.
8. Brush excess flour from the top of the pie dough. Use your rolling pin to gently place the dough into a 9” pie plate. Trim the pie crust to 1” outside of the pie plate, and fold over the crust to seal. If desired, crimp or flute the crust. Place the pie plate in the refrigerator.
9. Place the completed pie in the refrigerator while you warm your oven to a true 375°F (convection works best, but don’t fret if you don’t have it!), and place an oven rack on the bottom third of the oven. Allow your oven a significant amount of time to reach the proper temperature. I allow my oven at least 45 minutes to come to the right temperature.
10. Once the oven has fully preheated, remove the pie shell from the oven and place a piece of parchment on top of the entire pie crust. Place pie weights on top of the parchment paper (I use dried black eyed peas for this task) and then place the pie crust in the 375°F oven.
11. Bake the pie crust (this is called blind baking) for fifteen minutes. Remove the pie crust from the oven and carefully remove the pie weights and parchment paper. Gently dock the bottom of the pie crust. To dock the pie crust, simply use a fork to poke holes into the bottom of the pie crust. Place back into the 375°F oven for another ten minutes. While the crust finishes blind baking, make the filling.

To Make the Filling:

1. Place eggs, half and half, kosher salt and black pepper into a large mixing bowl. Scramble thoroughly, then stir in the cheese.
2. Prepare your preferred toppings (though a cheese quiche is delicious all by itself!). Remember, any meats should be fully cooked before adding them to the quiche. And vegetables with a high water content (for example, spinach and mushrooms) should be sautéed on medium high heat until the water evaporates. More fibrous vegetables, like broccolini (one of my absolute favorites!) can be placed into the the quiche without pre-cooking. Once the cooked toppings are cooled, stir them into the egg mixture.
3. Scramble one egg with one teaspoon of water. Use a pastry brush to brush the egg wash on bottom crust. Pour the filling into the partially baked pie crust.

To Bake the Quiche:

1. Place the built quiche into the 375°F oven.  Bake for an additional 40-45 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Alternatively, the quiche is done when it slightly jiggles in the center and is set on the sides. Allow to cool on the countertop completely, when the center fully sets, and then refrigerate if not eating right away.
2. How do you eat quiche? However you want! You can eat it at room temperature, chilled from the fridge, or even warmed up a bit! However you eat it, crack a little black pepper over it before enjoying!