Fresh Spinach and Bacon Quiche
Fresh spinach gives this classic quiche a bigger flavor than frozen—and a frozen crust simplifies preparation.
Servings 4 to 6
Ingredients
- 1 deep frozen pie crust
- 4 strips bacon
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- olive oil, if needed
- 5 ounces baby spinach
- 3 eggs
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup cream, half & half or milk (or a mixture of these)
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1-1/2 cups coarsely grated gruyere
- 1/4 cup coarsely grated Parmesan
Instructions
- Blind bake the crust. Preheat the oven to 375ºF. While the oven is heating, put the pie crust in its tin on the counter and let it thaw slightly, so you can prick it all over with a fork. Line the pie shell with foil or parchment paper, then weight it with dried beans or pie weights (does anyone actually buy these?). Bake the crust until slightly golden on the edges, about 12 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and remove weights, simply picking the foil or parchment at the corners.
- Make the filling. Meanwhile, place bacon in a cold skillet and cook over medium-high heat until just crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Reduce skillet’s heat to medium, add spinach (in batches, if needed) and cook, tossing frequently, until thoroughly wilted, seasoning with salt and pepper. Turn off heat and set aside.
- Put a baking sheet in the oven to heat through, but not one of those air-insulated ones. This is to catch any drips or bubbling over. Beat eggs in a large bowl, seasoning with salt and pepper. Whisk in cream and nutmeg.
- Assemble everything and bake. When crust has cooled slightly, spread the mustard in the bottom of the crust (this is a trick I learned from Marion—you won’t taste mustard at all, but it will sharpen and enhance the cheese flavors). Spread the spinach and onions in the bottom of the shell. Crumble the bacon slices over the spinach, then top evenly with the cheese. Pour the egg mixture over everything; it will make its way through the various layers.
- Bake the quiche until it has puffed up and is set and beautifully browned, about 25 to 35 minutes. You can test with a sharp knife to make sure the middle is set.
- Cool on a rack at least 10 minutes, then serve. You can also serve it room temperature, but I think warm is best. If you should have leftovers, they are best warmed in an oven for several minutes—a microwave will make the crust soggy.