I can’t remember when I started making quiche. In the early years of my marriage when I was vegetarian I made lots of things out of the Moosewood cookbooks, especially things like the ricotta-spinach pie and big gooey casseroles. Eventually I discovered the “quiche formula” in the Enchanted Broccoli Forest and I was converted.

Basically, the idea is that as long as you have the right proportions of egg and milk for the size of pan you’re using, and plenty of cheese to coat the bottom and protect the crust from sogginess, you can put whatever the heck you want in there. It’s easy to make and easy to remember (I made two quiches from scratch, from memory, for a wedding in Knik, Alaska, and felt very smug about it). I have tried many things, from chard and mushrooms to broccoli and ham, and they all come out pretty good. But the winner in our household, especially in the late summer when peppers are in season, is my patented Chorizo-Poblano Quiche. It’s rich and spicy with lots of cheesy goodness, set off by the whole-wheat flavor of the crust. We make this as often as possible every fall while we can get beautiful fresh poblano peppers from our friend Steve at Dunbar Gardens. The loose Mexican-style chorizo comes from a local producer as well, Hempler’s in Bellingham. The recipe goes more or less like this:

 Preheat your oven to 375°.

Sautee uncased chorizo and a couple of chopped poblanos until cooked through. Let cool slightly.

Whisk together 1 1/2 cups of milk with 4 whole eggs. Salt lightly.

Make a pie dough with one cup of flour (about 2/3 whole wheat and 1/3 unbleached all-purpose), half a stick of butter, a little salt and ice water as needed. Roll out and lay in a large glass pie pan, pinching the edges to look pretty.

Cover the bottom of the pan (on top of the dough) with about a cup of grated cheese – I usually use medium cheddar but sometimes I’ll use pepper jack for extra kick. Dump the cooked peppers and sausage on top, then pour the custard mixture over all. Set carefully in the oven and bake until just set, about 35 minutes. Let cool at least a few minutes before cutting into it (you can also make this ahead and reheat it in a 350° oven – very handy for times when you’re getting home late and want something easy for dinner). Serve with a big salad of mixed greens and a glass of red wine. Eat the rest for breakfast tomorrow.