Ingredients

• Pastry
• 2 cup all-purpose flour
• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) chilled butter, cut into 1-inch-thick pieces
• 4-5 tablespoons ice water (as needed)
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon salt


• Quiche Filling
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• dash of salt to taste
• 1/3 cup finely grated Monterey jack cheese
• 1 tablespoon diced green onion
• 2 slices thinly-sliced deli-style ham, diced or 2 strips cooked bacon, crumbled
• 5-6 cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced (optional)
• fresh thyme leaves, snipped into small pieces (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 425° F. Lightly spray 24 mini muffin cups with cooking spray. (Note: Typical measurements of each muffin cup in mini muffin baking pans are about 1 3/4 inches across the tops, and about 1 1/4 inches across the bottoms.) Set aside.

Add flour, Parmesan cheese and salt to a food processor. (Note: Alternatively, you can mix by hand, though a food processor is a much quicker and easier method.) Process for a few seconds just until mixed. Add butter slices and process again until mixture forms coarse crumbs. Through the top of the small opening of processor, slowly add 4 tablespoons of ice water while processing, just until blended. Mixture should be crumbly, but able to be squeezed into a crumbly ball. If mixture seems too dry, add up to 1 tablespoon more of ice water while processing again, just until mixture reaches right moisture level. Gather into a ball, then knead gently just until pastry holds together.

Divide pastry in to 24 equal portions, then roll each portion into a ball. Place balls into muffin cups, then press down and up on the sides to create bowls. (Note: Using the end of a large wooden spoon or other kitchen utensil handle might be helpful.) Bake in 425° oven for 8-10 minutes or just until pastry begins to brown. Remove from oven and set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 350° F.


In a small mixing bowl, whisk together egg, milk, salt and pepper. Stir in Monterey jack cheese, Parmesan cheese, diced green onion and ham (or bacon). Spoon about 1 teaspoon of filling into each pastry cup, using any left over mixture to even out the quiches (do not over-fill). If desired, top each quiche with a thin cherry tomato slice, trimmed thyme leaves or other fresh herbs.

Bake quiches for 20 minutes or until filling appears puffed and set. Cool in muffin cups on a wire rack for about 5 minutes. Remove from cups and serve warm. (Note: If you'd like to serve them quickly, inserting a table knife down the side of each quiche will help you lift them out of the muffin cups without touching the muffin pan.