Bacon and Leek Quiche
Easter is just a few days away! If you are like my family, and do Easter Brunch every year, this recipe is perfect for you. I am a big fan of quiche and I love how versatile it is. I created this recipe using the key ingredients from one of my favorite pasta sauces: bacon, leeks, garlic and thyme. In the sauce, I also add heavy cream and parmesan. But in this quiche, I use mascarpone and gruyere and it is amazing!! This dish has tons of flavor and it is always a hit. I love to serve this alongside a simple arugula salad.
Serves 6
Ingredients:
- 1 store bought pie crust (9 inches)
- 1 egg white
- 1/2 lb bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 leek, thinly sliced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
- 5 eggs
- 4 oz mascarpone
- 2 cups shredded gruyere cheese
- Salt & pepper
- Scallions for garnish
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Butter a 9 inch tart pan (or springform pan). Press the pie crust into the pan and up the side edges. Use a fork to poke the crust to release the air while baking. Then beat the egg white and use a pastry brush to brush the crust with it.
Place the pan into the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Once golden brown, remove from oven and set aside.
Meanwhile, add bacon to a large pan over medium heat. Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring often until the bacon is crisp. Then add the sliced leeks and sprinkle with salt. Cook for another 10 minutes until leeks have softened and begin to brown. Then add garlic and cook for another couple minutes. Next, add the fresh thyme and stir. Remove from heat and set aside.
Add eggs to a large bowl and whisk. Then add the mascarpone, and gruyere cheese and mix again. Finally, add in the bacon and leek mixture and season with salt and pepper. Mix everything together and then pour the egg mixture into the tart pan.
Place the pan in the oven and bake for 18 to 20 minutes until the quiche is set. Allow the quiche to cool before removing it from the pan. Once cooled, remove from tart pan and cut the quiche into wedges. Garnish with scallions.
