You can use the basics of this recipe as a format for any quiche you’d like to make, really — the crust and custard stay the same, and the fillings can vary as you prefer. But this is the quiche that took my boys from “We hate quiche!” to “We actually like quiche!” so it’s the one I’m posting for you. No, it’s not a health food, per se — but with a big green salad and some apples or pears, it’s a really lovely meal.
Crust:
1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour (you can also use all-purpose if you prefer), plus more for dusting the board
1/2 tsp. salt
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, diced
3/4 cup plain yogurt
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Whisk together the flour and salt in a medium bowl. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs, with no pieces larger than a pea throughout. Add the yogurt and fold together. Use your hands to quickly bring the mixture together into a sticky dough.
Lightly flour a work surface and turn the dough out onto the surface. Flour the dough as well. Roll out into a rough circle, about 11 inches in diameter. Transfer the rolled dough into a 9-inch glass or ceramic pie plate. Trim the edges and flute as desired.
Line the crust with parchment paper and fill with dried beans or pie beads. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes; remove the parchment and beans or beads. Set the prepared crust aside until ready to fill.
Filling:
6 slices uncured bacon, diced
1 small onion, diced
12 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 cups half and half
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
In a large skillet over medium heat, render the bacon until crisp. Add the onion to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent. Add the mushrooms and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are lightly golden and the onions are very soft. Season with salt and pepper, stir well, and remove from the heat. Allow to cool to room temperature.
In a large bowl, whisk together the half and half and the eggs until you have a smooth mixture. Add the cheese and the cooled bacon mixture. Stir well.
Pour the filling carefully into the prepared crust. Bake at 325 for 50-60 minutes, until the quiche is set but still has a very slight jiggle. Remove from the oven and allow the quiche to rest for 10-15 minutes before cutting.