Why You Should Be Using Smashed Potatoes As A Quiche Crust

Quiche is a flavorful breakfast option great for creating a ready-to-eat dish for a few days (months, if frozen). Upgrade your quiche recipe by lining your baking dish with smashed potatoes for a hearty quiche crust swap. This variety of crust is tender, creamy, and crispy on the edges, which makes for both a comforting and texturally interesting bite. Many quiche recipes call for a pastry dough blind bake pie crust, but with a potato base, you won't have to think about dough at all. 

A potato base allows you to adjust bake time and technique to get a softer or crunchier bite. (This can be achieved by using some of these tips for deliciously crispy potatoes.) When building your base, incorporate partially smashed potatoes — do this by pressing down to the point the skin breaks. This technique creates raised edges that are more likely to crisp up, thus providing more texture compared to a softer, mashed potato base.

New or baby potatoes are a great option as they cook fast and shape nicely to the pan. You can also use larger varieties, just make sure to half or quarter them before cooking. Baby Yukon Golds are one of many recommended potatoes that work well, which have a medium level of starch and semi-waxy texture. Both qualities help them hold shape and adhere to the baking dish. If you can't get your hands on Yukon Gold potatoes, there are many other options that provide a nice bite — try red bliss, Inca gold, or fingerling potatoes. Each function as a viable alternative due to similar flavor, texture, and starch content.

To save time and effort, prepare the filling while your potatoes boil. This should take anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes or when you can easily puncture the potatoes with a fork. While you should let the potatoes cool, it's easiest to smash them while still warm. They're harder to mold if they lose too much heat after boiling. Once they've reduced to a manageable temperature, smash them into a pre-greased pan.

There are a few types of baking dishes that work for this recipe: pie dish, cast-iron skillet, springform pan, or another type of circular dish. Use the bottom of a sturdy glass to press the potatoes into the bottom and up the sides of your chosen baking dish, making sure the potatoes are pressed and sealed together before you bake it. This prevents the quiche mixture from leaking through unwanted gaps. An even layer around the pan (about one inch thickness) is imperative to properly contain the egg mixture.

This dish can be made a few ways depending on your desired outcome. If you have some extra time and want a crispier result, blind bake the crust first like you would pastry dough. Once crisped to your preference, add your quiche filling and bake again. The twice-bake method gives you a drier, crunchier crust that holds its shape more firmly. For a softer bite, smash the potatoes, pour the mixture over the top and bake it all in one go. Once combined, your smashed potato quiche should take about 25 to 30 minutes. Garnish with fresh herbs and cheese for added flavor.