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Quiches are funny things. They look all innocent and dainty with their crimped crusts sitting on pretty plates. Delicate slivers are featured at fancy bistros and meant to be “light” lunches, tadalafil but there is nothing light about quiche. They are decadent little things. Full of butter and eggs and cheese. And that is why they’re so absolutely delicious. How can they not be? But they are dangerous. You have to serve yourself and walk away before you devour half a quiche without realizing it.
This is why they’re best made for company. Brunches and buffet tables are the perfect ways to enjoy quiche. You can have your cake without eating the whole thing. This particular recipe is pretty standard, but I added some bacon breadcrumbs to give it a more interesting crunchy topping. I really liked how it contrasted with the custard-like interior and kept it from being too mushy.
An excellent dish to feed a hungry holiday crowd.
1 tart or pie pastry shell* (you can use frozen if you’re tight on time)
1 9-inch pie shell or tart pan
1 tbsp. olive oil
3 leeks, thoroughly washed and thinly sliced (white and light green parts only
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
6 eggs
1 cup cream
1/2 cup milk (can use skim)
6 oz. Gruyere cheese, shredded
1 tsp. salt
6 slices from a stale baguette (2 or 3-inch piece), or 2 slices sandwich bread
3 slices bacon, cut into lardons
Preheat your oven to 375°. Place your dough over a pie shell or tart pan and gently press into the pan, making sure the dough extends a little bit over the edge of the pan. Gently tent with aluminum foil and bake for 15 – 20 minutes, or until it’s golden. Remove from oven.
While your shell is baking, make the filling. Place a large skillet over medium heat. Once it’s hot, heat the olive oil and add the leeks and pepper. Cook for about 7 minutes, or until they are soft and just beginning to brown. Remove from heat and set aside. (Reserve the skillet for later.)
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, milk and salt. Stir in the leeks and gruyere and carefully ladle the mixture into the cooked pie shell. If you have leftovers, you can make mini-crustless quiches in ramekins (bake for 15 minutes or so).
Carefully place the quiche in the oven and cook for 35 – 40 minutes or until the top is deeply golden and the custard is set in the center.
While the quiche is cooking, prepare the breadcrumbs. If your bread is stale enough, grate it into crumbs with a box grater or food processor. If not, toast it, then make breadcrumbs. Set your skillet back over medium heat and add the bacon.
Cook until the bacon is almost crisp – cooking time will depend on the thickness of your bacon. Add the breadcrumbs and toast in the bacon drippings. Once the bacon is crisp and the breadcrumbs and golden, remove from heat and set aside.
Let the quiche rest for 15 minutes, then sprinkle with the breadcrumbs.
Makes about 6 – 8 servings.
For the tart shell:
2.5 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup chilled water
Place the flour and salt in a bowl then add the butter. Using a knife or nifty pastry blender*, cut the butter into the flour to form large crumbs. Add the water and mix (I like to use my hands) until just combined. Place a piece of plastic wrap on your work surface, then dump the content of the bowl onto it. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes or up to a day. You can also refrigerate for 20 minutes, then place in an air-tight ziploc bag and freeze until you’re ready to use it.
When your ready to make your quiche, preheat the oven to 375°. Cut the dough in half, then sprinkle each half with flour and roll out into a thin round.
This recipe makes enough for 2 pie / quiche shells.
Oh yum. Just reading about the combination of leeks and gruyere makes me weak in the knees!
Talk about gilding the lily, breadcrumbs toasted in bacon drippings then sprinkled on top of a cheese and cream bomb. Brilliant and delicious! – S
Delicious! Adding this one to my list. I love gruyere, and I love leeks, but never put the two together.
I bake quiche every few weeks because I have chickens and now and then the egg production gets ahead of my plans. I always bake two at a time, because I buy the frozen crusts and I have no freezer – but immediately give one to a friend (with no chickens – heh). Then I eat quiche for breakfast, lunch and dinner til it’s gone – yum!
Amazing! I love a good quiche but am in complete agreement about the funniness of them being “light fare”. Umm, there’s about a pound of cheese and butter in most. So good though and like you say, perfect for brunch!
Your photos are so gorgeous by the way!
I am all about quiches and tarts.
I love your version of a quiche Lorraine w/ leeks!
I will try this with the bacon crumbs for my next quiche fix.
I agree, you think you can just have one slice then……….
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I bookmarked one of your recipes about a century ago and am just re-discovering your blog. I totally have a crush on it.
And I’ll be making this for Sunday brunch, Thanksgiving calories be damned!
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Bacon and cheese are two of the best things in life–add garlic, and you have a trifecta of perfection! I just found your blog, and love it! Everything looks so good, I’m itching to get in the kitchen.
Leek, gruyere and bacon three of my favorite ingredients. Together they must be heavenly!
Hello! Where are you?
I miss your fabulous recipes.
Hope you are well and keeping warm in sunny Florida.
This looks absolutely amazing…yum! Just might have to make this for Boxing Day morning…
Just thought you should know that I made this last night. :-) It was FANTASTIC and shall be made again.
Thank you!
Pearl
Man. That’s one of the most delicious and perfect looking quiches I’ve seen.
Awesome for a cold winter brunch.
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