Ham Quiche With a Cheese Cracker Crust

Directions

1. For the crust: Add the cheese crackers to a food processor and pulse until you have a very fine meal. Add the flour, sugar, and a big pinch of kosher salt to the food processor and pulse a few times. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture forms coarse crumbs. Mix together the vinegar and 1/4 cup of water and drizzle into the flour mixture. Pulse 4 times. Open the food processor and drizzle in the remaining 2 tablespoons of water and pulse twice to combine. If it looks crumbly but holds together when you pick it up and squeeze, you’re ready to go; don’t be afraid to drizzle in an extra tablespoon of water if it's too dry.
2. Dump the dough onto a work surface and gently pat it together into a cohesive ball. Wrap the dough in plastic film (a washable zip-top bag or reusable container works too!), then gently flatten into a 1/2-inch disk. Refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days. Alternatively, you can freeze the dough at this stage for up to 6 months, then defrost in the fridge overnight before rolling it out.
3. When you’re ready to make the quiche, take the dough out of the fridge to soften slightly for 10 minutes. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured piece of parchment into a round, about 14 inches in diameter. Hang onto that piece of parchment!
4. Transfer the dough to a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. Gently but firmly press it into the edges of the plate to ensure it is tightly fitted. This dough is delicate and may crack while you’re pressing it in—simply mold the dough back together wherever it cracks (I promise it’ll still be delicious). You should have about a 1-inch overhang; tuck the overhang underneath itself and crimp the edges in whatever manner pleases you. Place the crust in the fridge for 30 minutes.
5. Heat the oven to 350ºF and line the interior of the chilled crust with the parchment round. Fill the crust with pie weights or dried beans, all the way up to the crimped section. Place the pie dish on a sheet pan and bake the crust until it just begins to take on color, 25 to 35 minutes. Pull the pan from the oven and carefully remove pie weights and parchment. Continue baking until even more golden, but not brown, about 10 minutes. (If you find the crust cracks at all, make a paste of a teaspoon of flour and a few drops of water, then smear into the crack like spackle.) Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes. Sprinkle half of the cheese over the bottom of the crust. Let the crust continue to cool on the sheet pan while you make the filling.
6. For the filling: Reduce the oven heat to 325ºF. If unsliced, slice the Taylor ham into 1/4-inch rounds. Make one 1/2-inch cut on the top and two sides of each slice of ham. Cook the Taylor ham in a nonstick skillet until starting to brown and crisp, about 4 minutes; If you can’t fit all the slices of Taylor ham in the pan, do them in batches. (If using another cured ham or bacon, crisp it according to the package directions.) Transfer to a wire rack. Once cooled, crumble into bite-sized pieces.
7. Crack the eggs into a large bowl and whisk in the mustard, milk, cream, salt, and lots of freshly ground pepper until completely combined. Stir in remaining cheese.
8. Scatter the crisped ham over the cheese-covered crust. To fill the crust, it might be easiest to transfer the custard to a liquid measuring cup, then open the oven and place the sheet pan on a pulled out oven grate. Slowly pour the egg mixture into the crust. Bake the quiche until the crust is golden brown and the filling is set around the outside and just set in the center, 55 to 65 minutes. Let cool for at least 1 hour before topping with chives and slicing in—it will continue to set as it cools, plus the filling will taste better.