quiche, or kwee-chee

This is not hard, and it's not even my own creation*. It is, however, a simple and perfect recipe. I like to add 8oz of bacon and some smoked gouda, or some sauteed spinach and crumbled feta.  Experiment and delight in the perfect quiche creation....

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Large pinch sea salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut in small pieces
5 to 6 tablespoons chilled water

Place the flour and the salt in the bowl of a food processor and process to mix. Cut the butter in chunks and add it to the flour. Process it, using pulses, until the butter is incorporated into the flour and the mixture looks like coarse cornmeal. With the food processor running, add the water and process briefly, using pulses, just until the pastry beings to hold together in large clumps. Turn the pastry out onto a floured work surface and gather it into a ball.

Let it rest one hour. Roll out the pastry to fit a 10-1/2 inch glass or metal pie plate . Crimp the edges, poke the bottom with a fork or the tip of a sharp knife, and place the pastry in the freezer for 30 minutes.




6 large eggs
2/3 cup heavy cream or crème fraîche
1 cup milk (preferably whole)
8 ounces gruyère, emmenthal, or other Swiss-type cheese
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg - optional

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Line the pastry with aluminum foil and pastry weights or beans and bake in the bottom third of the oven until the pastry is golden at the edges, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and remove the aluminum foil and pastry weights. Return the pastry to the oven to bake until the bottom is golden, an additional 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and reserve.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, and the milk until thoroughly blended. Season with the salt and pepper, then add the cheese and stir until it is blended, Turn the mixture into the pre-baked pastry, and spread out the cheese evenly over the bottom of the pastry. Sprinkle the top with nutmeg if you've used a Swiss-type cheese, and bake in the center of the oven until the filling is golden and puffed, and is completely baked through, about 30 minutes. To test for doneness, shake the quiche - if it is solid without a pool of uncooked filling in the center, it is done. You may also stick a sharp knife blade into the center of the filling and if it comes out clean, the quiche is baked through.

Remove the quiche from the oven and serve immediately.

*bon app 99

Savory Gouda-Pear-Bacon Bread Pudding

This is a really tasty combo I threw together. The sweetness of the pears was a really nice pairing with the cheese and bacon.

1 1/2 c. whole milk
4 eggs
loaf of French bread, stale
3 pears (I used Anjou), peeled, cored and chopped
1/4 lb. bacon (about 5 slices)
1/4 fine chopped onion
2 c. shredded smoked gouda
2tbsp chopped fresh herbs (I used1 tbsp rosemary and 1tbsp sage)
fresh ground black pepper
salt

Butter a round 4 (or more) inch deep soufflé dish.
Fry up the bacon, place slices on paper towel. Saute the onions and rosemary until tender in bacon drippings. Add pear, sauté until soft. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
Whisk milk, eggs, 2 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper in a small bowl.
Tear bread into rough 1-inch pieces. Layer half the bread in the dish, then half the pear mixture, half the cheese, and pour half the egg-milk mixture over. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
Let it stand for 25 minutes. Preheat oven to 375.
Bake bread pudding until brown and slightly puffed, about 50 minutes. Allow to cool at least 10 minutes before serving.