Recipe: Bacon and Pecorino Quiche

Recipe Source: Staib, Walter.  Black Forest Cuisine.  Running Press, Philadelphia, 2006 p. 87

For those of you who have not yet experimented with this for yourselves, allow me to save you the trouble: beef bacon smokes up much, much faster than pork bacon.  We're talking some serious smoke here.  This doesn't mean that you shouldn't use beef bacon.  It just means that you should probably put your vent hood on before you start and should probably consider using two frying pans. 

You may be wondering why there is bacon at all.  After our Pork Fest back in April, where this was only one of the many bacon dishes served, I was pretty adamant that there would be no bacon in my home for a very, very long time.  Does six months count?  And I can't eat pork anymore - apparently the Fearless Fetus has some strong objections to the stuff and as long as we're sharing a digestive system, I have to yield to her tyrannical will.  But there are so many tasty-looking recipes that require bacon, and they're so perfect and seasonal for fall!  I decided that I would try a substitute for pork bacon.  Bacon at all was a substitution in this recipe, which originally called for Black Forest Ham.  Since I'm pretty sure that Black Forest Ham is made from pig (I could be wrong here, this isn't a part of the world I know much about) I was going to have to substitute anyway.  I also switched pecorino for the gruyere, because I had it on hand, and some whole milk when there wasn't enough heavy cream in the container. 

Bacon and Pecorino Quiche (serves 8 - 10; approx. $1.78/serving)

1 1/3 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed

4 tablespoons vegetable shortening

5 tablespoons ice water

7 eggs

1 3/4 cups heavy cream

3/4 cups whole milk

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 bunch chives, chopped

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup grated pecorino

1 cup chopped beef bacon, crisped

Equipment:

• Tart pan with removable bottom
• Bowl
• Whisk
• Aluminum foil
• Pie weights (I use dried beans)
• Food processor

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
2. Combine the flour, 1 t salt, butter, shortening and ice water in your food processor.  Process to a dough. 
3. Press the dough up the sides of a greased tart pan.  You will have just about enough. 
4. Dock the dough in a few places with a fork.
5. Line the crust shell with aluminum foil, then fill with pie weights.  Bake blind 15 minutes.
6. Remove the crust from the oven.  Reduce heat to 375, remove the pie weights and foil, and set aside. 
7. Combine the milk, eggs, cream, nutmeg, salt, pepper and chives in the bowl.  Whisk well.
8. Spread the pecorino over the bottom of the crust. 
9. Sprinkle the bacon bits on top. 
10. Pour the egg mixture on top. 
11. Bake 30 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. 
12. Serve.   

Comments

[lululu]

i love quiche, and i didnt know there is beef bacon. it sounds so delicious!