Quiche with Arugula, Bacon, + Cheddar

I’m picky about what quiches I like. For me, some of them wind up being too darn eggy. Don’t get me wrong, I like eggs, but I need egg casseroles + quiches to have lots of other flavors + textures mixed throughout. So, when I recently stumbled across a recipe for a quiche filled with tons of arugula, shallots, bacon + cheddar, I thought, That sounds like the type of quiche I would love. And guess what? After making it this past weekend, I can confirm that I was right!

This quiche, simply put, is amazing! It’s packed full of flavor – peppery arugula, salty bacon, tart balsamic, + sharp cheddar, all wrapped in a flaky, buttery crust. It’s light on the egginess, which makes it different from a lot of quiches, + just perfect for me. Another great thing about this? While it’s wonderful hot out of the oven, it’s just as tasty at room temperature, so it’s ideal for brunches or parties where it’ll have to sit out for a while. Up until recently, my easy potato, egg, + bacon casserole was my favorite savory egg breakfast, but it now has some serious competition. So, if you’re looking for a fantastic new breakfast dish, give this scrumptious quiche a try!

Quiche with Arugula, Bacon, + Cheddar

serves 6-8, adapted from Bon Appetit

ingredients

For the crust:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 tablespoons chilled solid vegetable shortening, cut into small pieces
4 tablespoons (about) ice water

For the filling:
6 bacon slices, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup chopped shallots (about 2-3 shallots)
8 ounces arugula, stems trimmed, leaves coarsely chopped (about 5 1/2 cups)
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 cup whipping cream
3 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (gruyere or gouda would also be delicious!)

directions

For the crust:

Blend flour + salt in processor. Add butter + shortening. Using on/off turns, process until mixture resembles coarse meal. Mix in enough ice water to form moist clumps. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic + chill until dough is firm enough to roll out, about 30 minutes.

Roll out dough on floured surface to 12-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Trim dough overhang to 1 inch. Fold overhang in + press, forming double-thick high-standing sides. Pierce crust all over with fork. Freeze crust 30 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover + keep frozen.)

Position rack in center of oven + preheat to 400°F. Bake crust until golden brown, piercing with fork if crust bubbles, about 20 minutes. Transfer crust to rack. Reduce temperature to 375°F.

For the filling:
Cook bacon in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat until crisp, about 5-8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels + drain. Add shallots to same skillet + sauté until tender, about 4 minutes. Add arugula + sauté until just wilted, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add balsamic vinegar; toss to combine.

Sprinkle arugula mixture, then bacon over crust. Whisk cream, eggs, salt + pepper in large bowl to blend. Stir in cheese. Pour egg/cheese mixture into crust.

Bake quiche until filling is slightly puffed + golden, about 35 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes. Cut into wedges + serve.

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