Quiche is one of those things that I just don’t understand opposition to. Buttery crispy crust, smooth eggy filling, and a choose-your-own adventure of filling ingredients make an obvious go-to for fridge clean-outs and affordable entertaining.

Mere hours away from the “Mad Men” premiere, I thought it would be an ideal time to revisit my classic quiche recipe, a simple exercise in pie-making, brightened with a fistful of chopped herbs. If you, like me, keep frozen pie crusts on hand, this recipe can come together in no time with things you already have on hand.

Classic Quiche

Ingredients

1 pie crust, thawed, rolled and par-baked for 15 minutes

For Filling:

4 eggs
1 c. heavy cream
1/3 c. gruyere, shredded
1/4 c. chopped herbs, including basil, parsley, and chives
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together eggs and cream just to combine. I like my custard nice and smooth, so I try not to ‘whip’ the mixture too vigorously. Add herbs and season with salt and pepper. Some people season their quiche with a couple shavings of nutmeg. I do not.

As mentioned, quiche is a great way to use extra bits of cheese, meat, and veggies you may be trying to utilize. Just remember to use a light hand when filling quiche and to pre-cook any ingredients that render fat or water upon cooking (like sausage, mushrooms, or spinach.) These are keys to maintaining a crispy crust.

Make sure your par-cooked crust has cooled, and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Pour egg and herb mixture over the crust, and bake for approximately 35-45 minutes, or until custard is set and no longer giggly. A slight quiver is acceptable, as the quiche will continue to cook once it’s removed from the oven.

Serve with a salad and a classic champagne cocktail (sugar cube, couple dashes of agnostura bitters, and your champagne of choice.) Enjoy for brunch or while watching endless episodes of “Mad Men” on DVD.