Spinach Quiche

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a deep-dish 9-inch pie plate with the pastry. Trim and flute the edge. Line the unpricked pastry shell with a double-layer thickness of heavy-duty foil. Fill with pie weights, dried beans or uncooked rice.

Bake the crust for five minutes. Remove the foil and weights, and bake for five minutes longer. Place the pie plate on a wire rack until ready to use. Reduce the oven's heat to 350°.

In a skillet, saute the shallot in butter until tender. Stir in the spinach, and cook until wilted. Remove the skillet from heat.

Sprinkle the cheese into the pie crust. Top it evenly with the spinach mixture. In a bowl, beat the eggs. Add the cream, salt and pepper, and mix well. Carefully pour the egg mixture into the crust. Editor's Tip: To crack an egg with minimal mess, rap it against a countertop instead of tapping it against the bowl's rim. Then, make sure to whisk the eggs until they're uniformly yellow before adding the cream. Not whisking enough is one of the biggest mistakes you might be making with eggs.

Bake the quiche at 350° for 45 to 50 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the quiche stand for 10 minutes before cutting it.