Cheese Pie

From the book The Basic Gourmet by Diane Morgan, Dan Taggart, Kathleen Taggart, and Georgia Vareldzis

Serves

3

Introduction

Every cook needs a few utterly simple, yet satisfying, recipes. This is one of those. If you can stir and grate some cheese, you can make this recipe. We serve this for a light dinner, accompanied with a salad. Alternatively, it could be used as part of a brunch. Young children, even picky ones, like this Cheese Pie. Cooked in a pie plate or 10-inch ovenproof skillet, the pie puffs up, browns lightly on top, and has crispy edges.

Ingredients

	~	Butter, for greasing pan
	1	extra-large egg
	¾	cup all-purpose flour
	½	tsp. salt
	½	tsp. freshly ground black pepper
	1	cup milk
	1	cup grated Muenster cheese (about 4 ounces)

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Butter a 9-inch glass pie plate or 10-inch ovenproof skillet. In a medium bowl, beat egg. Add flour, salt, pepper, and ½ cup of the milk. Stir until smooth, then add remaining ½ cup milk and stir to combine. Add cheese, stir to combine, then pour into prepared pan. Bake until puffed and nicely browned, 25 to 30 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve immediately.

Notes

• If you have a 9-inch cast iron skillet, bake the Cheese Pie in it. The bottom and sides of the pie get wonderfully crispy.
• Cheese Pie is best when eaten right from the oven. However, leftovers rewarm well in a 400°F oven.
• Try other cheeses. Half Cheddar and half Muenster works well. Fontina or Gruyere are also possibilities. We find Swiss cheese makes the pie too stringy and gooey.
• Several slices of cooked bacon can be crumbled and added to the batter.

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