Bacon-Onion Quiche with Olive Oil Press-in Crust

Quiche made more simple, by utilizing press-in olive oil crust, adapted from a recipe by Patricia Wells. This pastry recipe is one I use again and again, especially when I'm in a hurry to get dinner on the table in a minimum of time.

It really is excellent; the texture is very good, not quite like a traditional pastry recipe, it's a bit crisper, sturdy and a bit more brittle. If you don't like rolling out pastry this is the crust recipe for you!

Pastry:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil, or olive oil of your choice

To prepare the pastry:

In a medium bowl, combine the flour and the salt. Stir in the water, then the oil, mixing until thoroughly blended. Knead briefly right in the bowl, about 12 times. Don't over mix or the pastry will be tough.

The dough will be very moist, much like a cookie dough. Press the dough into the bottom of an 8-inch to 10-inch tart tin with a removable bottom. I like my quiches a little deeper so I usually opt for an 8-inch or 9-inch pan.

Pat and press the dough up the sides as high as you can, but don't be concerned if it does not come all the way up the sides. Just be sure your filling doesn't exceed the height of the pastry walls when you pour it in.

Note: If you have any extra filling, bake it along with the quiche in a buttered ramekin or two ~ crustless quiche! However, it won't take as long to bake as the quiche, so remove it while it is not runny, but is still just a little 'jiggly' in the center ~ it will continue to cook after it is removed from oven.

Fill it (unbaked) and bake with any quiche or torta filling that you like.

Bacon-Onion-Gruyere Quiche

6 to 8 servings

While the classic version of quiche uses only bacon, eggs & cheese, I like the addition of onions upon occasion. You may omit if you prefer.

Prepare your favorite pastry crust, or use the press-in olive oil recipe as directed above. Place pastry shell in refrigerator while you assemble the filling:

Note: It is helpful to have the cream, milk, eggs and cheese at room temperature, it is not crucial but the quiche will bake more evenly and quickly, and the custard will be more tender.

Place rack in the lower third of oven and preheat to 425º (F).

Filling ingredients:

6 bacon slices

3/4 cup heavy cream, at room temperature

3/4 cup milk, at room temperature

3 eggs, at room temperature

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Cayenne pepper, to taste

Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste

Method:

In a fry pan over medium-high heat, fry the bacon until crisp and golden, but don't over cook. Transfer to paper towels to drain. When it cools slightly crumble into small bits. Wipe out pan and heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat, gently brown onions, stirring occassional.

Scatter the crumbled bacon over the bottom of the pastry shell, distribute the cooked onions on top of the bacon.

Combine the cream, milk, eggs and melted butter in a bowl. Whisk until thoroughly blended then stir in the cheese and season with salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper.

Pour mixture over the top of bacon & onions in the pastry shell and sprinkle the top lightly with nutmeg.

Bake until the custard is set and the tip of a knife inserted into the center of the custard comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to settle and cool for several minutes before serving.