About the Recipe
Ingredients
One 9-inch deep-dish frozen pie crust - or Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust
8 oz thick-cut bacon (about 6 slices), diced
½ cup chopped shallots
4 large eggs
1¼ cups heavy cream
¼ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Pinch ground nutmeg
4 oz Gruyère, finely shredded (about 1¼ cups)
Preparation
Blind bake the crust: Preheat the oven to 400°F and set a rack in the middle position.
Remove the pie crust from freezer and thaw until just soft enough to easily prick with a fork, about 10 minutes. If using a refrigerated pre-made crust, line a 9-inch deep dish pie pan. Prick the bottom and sides all over with a fork. Place the crust on a baking sheet to make it easy to move in and out of the oven. Bake until lightly golden, about 10 minutes.
Set aside and reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.
In a sauté pan over medium heat, cook the diced bacon, stirring occasionally, until slightly crisp, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Pour off all but one tablespoon of fat from the pan.
Add the shallots and cook over medium-low heat until soft and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Do not brown. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the heavy cream, salt, cayenne pepper, and nutmeg; whisk until evenly combined.
Spread the shallots evenly over the bottom of the cooked crust. Top with half of the bacon, all of the Gruyère, and then the remaining bacon.
Pour the egg/cream mixture over top.
Slide the quiche (still on the baking sheet) into the oven and bake at 325°F for 45 to 50 minutes, until the custard is set and lightly golden. Serve hot or warm.
Make-Ahead Instructions: This quiche can be fully prepared up to a day ahead of time and refrigerated.
To reheat: Cover the quiche with aluminum foil and heat in a preheated 300°F oven for 35 to 45 minutes, or until hot in the center.
Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cooked quiche can be frozen for up to 3 months. After baking and cooling the quiche, wrap it in a layer of plastic wrap and then a layer of aluminum foil. Remove the quiche from the freezer about 24 hours prior to eating. Remove the plastic wrap and reheat it, covered with foil, in a 300°F oven for 35 to 45 minutes, or until hot in the center.