Quiche is a pretty versatile dish. It’s popular for brunch but is perfectly fine for any meal of the day. It’s also easy and inexpensive. And with decent frozen pie crusts available in stores, there’s no need to worry about making your own pastry.
This Spinach Leek and Bacon Quiche can be made quickly if the bacon, leeks and spinach are cooked ahead of time. You just have to crack a few eggs and throw it together. It’ll be ready to bake before your oven is preheated! The ingredient amounts are for an 8 inch pie shell. If you’re using a larger one just increase the milk, add an extra egg and one more piece of bacon.
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Of course you can make your own pastry if you like. Perfect Pie Pastry is made in the food processor so it’s very easy. But, if you aren’t up to making your own there’s no need to feel guilty. There is some nutritional value in quiche, in spite of the bacon. There are lots of vegetables in the pie. And don’t forget about all that calcium from the milk and protein from the eggs!
Pre cooking the spinach prevents your custard from getting watered down from the liquid that’s released during cooking. And pre cooking the leeks softens and sweetens their flavour. Since you have to brown the bacon anyway, just use the same pan and remove most of the fat, saving just a bit to add flavour to the vegetables. Let everything cool before adding it to the pie crust.
If you’re wondering why you don’t add the filling ingredients to the egg mixture, this is the best way to make sure there’s an even amount of all the ingredients in every slice. Sprinkle the bacon, leeks and spinach evenly into the crust. Then shred the cheese and sprinkle on top. I like to use a combination of Swiss and sharp cheddar. Feel free to use any cheese you like but use at least one sharper variety because it pairs well with the ingredients.
Mix up the egg and milk mixture and pour over top. If you’re using a store bought pastry you may not be able to get all the custard into the shell. They really cheap out on these pie crusts! Hint: Store bought pie shells come in a flimsy pan. Put it on a cookie sheet before you pour in the egg so it doesn’t tip and spill. Another tip, whether using store bought or homemade pastry, is to heat a baking sheet in the oven while it’s preheating. This helps cook the bottom of the crust. So does using the lowest rack in the oven.
Eggs brown easily and should be cooked at lower temperatures. And always preheat the oven. The quiche will puff up a little when it’s done. It’s ok if it’s very slightly jiggly in the centre because it will continue to cook a few more minutes after it comes out of the oven. For an 8 inch pie shell it will take about 35 or 40 minutes. A larger quiche will take another 5 minutes or so. Let your quiche rest for at least 5 minutes to set. It will deflate slightly which is ok, and after resting it’s easier to cut.
Spinach Leek and Bacon Quiche can be served at room temperature so if you’re making this for Christmas morning you can go back to ripping open your large pile of expensive gifts and eat it later. If your loving family doesn’t gobble it all up it can be reheated the next day at 300 degrees for 8-10 minutes.
If you make this quiche, consider leaving a rating or comment below. Here’s the recipe:
Spinach Leek and Bacon Quiche
Ingredients
- 1 8 inch store bought pie crust or homemade
- 4 slices bacon
- 1 medium leek
- 2 cups spinach
- ½ cup swiss cheese, shredded
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 4 large eggs
- ¾ cup milk
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
Instructions
- Slice bacon into thin strips and fry until browning and just crispy. Remove bacon and as much fat as possible from pan.
- Rinse leek well and slice lengthwise in half. Place flat side down and slice into half circles.
- Roughly chop spinach. Add to pan along with leek and sauté until slightly softened. Return bacon to pan and combine evenly with spinach and leeks. Allow to cool slightly.
- Preheat oven to 325° and ensure rack is set to bottom setting. Place baking sheet in oven while preheating.
- Arrange bacon mixture evenly in bottom of pie crust. Shred cheeses and spread evenly over top.
- Whisk together eggs, milk, Dijon, salt and pepper. Place pie shell onto heated baking sheet and carefully pour custard over top.
- Bake on lower rack of the oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until just set in the middle. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
Thanks! This is will go great with my leftover sweet and sour pork! 🙂