CULINARY NINJA SERIES (EPISODE TWENTY EIGHT)
Start your Christmas merry with this quick and easy-to-make quiche recipe! Let’s face it, the holidays are all about stuffing our faces with delicious food but it doesn’t have to be guilt ridden given the proper portions. Quiche’s are jam packed with protein because of the large content of eggs. Aside from that it also contains fiber and different vitamins and minerals from the vegetables and olive oil used in the dish so it’s not all bad if you think about it. But again, make sure to watch out for those portions because too much of something is no longer healthy.
This all time favorite recipe will be a highlight for your holidays because regardless if you’re cooking for yourself, family, or friends, it is sure to bring the merry to your Christmas! So try out this recipe or to keep things exciting and interesting, why don’t you try adding in your own ingredients or swap out some healthier alternatives and see what happens, after all, tis the season to be healthy!
Ingredients (makes 2 9-in quiches):
Homemade pie crust (for two shells):
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 tsp. Kosher salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- ½ cup ice water
Quiche:
- 5 cups bacon, cooked until crispy, chopped
- 2 cups leeks, rinsed and finely chopped
- Olive oil, as needed
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 cups Gruyère cheese, freshly shredded
- 12 eggs
- 2 ½ cups half and half
- 1 tsp dry thyme
- 2 pie shells, homemade or store bought, par-baked
Instructions:
You can purchase premade, pre-tinned pie dough at your local grocery so you don’t have to buy a pie pan, or you can make your own pie dough by following the instructions below.
Crust:
- Combine flour, salt and sugar in a food processor or mixing bowl and mix well until mixture resembles pea-size butter balls coated with flour.
- Add ice water little by little and mix only until you are able to form dough into a ball.
- Divide dough into two balls, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Remove from fridge. Using a floured work surface, roll dough out into a large circle big enough to line your pie pan.
- Use your artsy touch to make a fancy crust design around the rim.
- To par-bake the crust, perforate it generously with a fork, cover it with parchment paper, and fill it with dry beans. Bake for 10-15 minutes or as directed, Remove from oven, allow to cool, and remove beans and parchment.
Filling:
- Heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add olive oil, leeks, kosher salt and pepper and sauté until tender.
- Place pie shells on a sheet pan lined with foil.
- Divide bacon, cheese, thyme and leeks evenly between the two pie crusts.
- Beat eggs in a mixing bowl until well incorporated, then add half and half and mix again until a uniform consistency is reached.
- Divide egg mixture between the pie shells and bake at 300 F for 25-35 minutes or until set. They are set when you shake the sheet pan and the soupy batter doesn’t slosh back and forth. If the top is not golden brown (as in the video), you can use the broiler to quickly toast (gratlinée) the surface.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 30 minutes. Invert quiche onto a cutting board, peel away pie pan, cut into 6 or 8 pieces, then replace pie pan and revert. Your quiche is ready to serve. You can make this a day ahead of time, eat it cold, reheat it or serve it at room temperature.
