Quiche Lorraine

It's pronounced 'keesh' and it's an enlightened breakfast pie.
#breakfasts  #entrees 

Ingredients⌗

  • 1 pie crust, no sugar, unbaked
  • Butter or cooking spray for coating
  • 1 package (~4 oz) pancetta, finely cubed
  • 1 medium shallot, finely minced
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 tsp chili flakes
  • 1 tbsp savory
  • 1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese

Instructions⌗

  1. Preheat oven to 350.
  2. Blind bake the crust: add the crust to a 9-inch pie plate. Use a fork to pierce holes across the bottom. Cut a piece of aluminum foil to roughly cover the whole crust. Spread butter or cooking spray across the bottom and gently press it over the dough, fully covering it. Fill the inside with pie weights. Insert in oven and bake until pastry is set and feels dry, 15-20 minutes.
  3. Remove the foil and weights from the crust, and return to the oven. Bake a further 10-15 minutes until the crust is golden brown. Remove from the oven and leave it on.
  4. While the crust blind bakes, make the filling. Add pancetta to a cold skillet and turn the burner on to medium heat. Fry until crispy, stirring occasionally; when the meat starts to crisp up, add the minced shallot and saute until tender. Remove from heat and drain fat over paper towels.
  5. Make the custard: add eggs, cream, and all seasonings to a large bowl. Whisk thoroughly until smooth and uniform.
  6. Spread out the pancetta, shallots, and cheese evenly across the bottom of the baked crust. Pour mixed custard over everything to fill the crust.
  7. Return to oven and bake until custard is just setting, about 25-30 minutes. It should still be the tiniest bit wobbly in the center. Remove immediately and cool on a wire rack; custard will continue to set as it cools. Serve warm.

Improvisations⌗

This is a basic quiche recipe; the crust and custard are locked in, but the fillings are heavily improvisational. Use whatever good herbs and spices you have. Throw them in the custard with a minumum of measurement. Make it with mushroom and leeks, or smoked salmon and goat cheese, or spinach and roasted garlic. Make a dessert quiche. Go wild.

Makes 1 9-inch pie, roughly 6 servings.