Leek and Edam Quiche

At the farmers market this past weekend, I picked up some early leeks from Crabapple Farm and some Edam cheese from Chase Hill Farm (they call their Edam Dutch Gold). Edam is a bit like Gouda, creamy and rich, but with a little more bite to it. Last night I combined the two, along with milk from Mapleline Farm and eggs from a friend's chickens, in a simple quiche that really highlighted the two flavors.

1 9-inch pastry shell
1 tsp butter
6 or so slender leeks (3/4" diameter or less)
3/4 cup shredded Edam cheese
3 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup whole milk or half-and-half
1/2 tsp salt
Plenty of freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Prick the pastry shell all over with a fork and pre-bake for about 10 minutes. If using homemade, line with aluminum foil and some pie weights.

While the crust pre-bakes, melt the butter in a skillet and saute the leeks until tender. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the eggs, milk or half-and-half, salt, and pepper and mix well.

When the crust is ready, spread the leeks in the bottom, then spread the cheese over them. Pour the egg mixture over it all. Bake for 30 minutes, until the egg is cooked through.

Serves 3-4.