Quiche with Almond Crust - Paleo Brunch
Quiche makes for a nice presentation for a weekend brunch. The traditional
version with a flour-based or puff pastry crust was an old favorite, but a
lower carbohydrate version is actually just as easy to make. I prepared
and served three of these for a recent get-together. ("I'm having the
girls over for brunch on Sunday. I volunteered you to make quiche. Also,
make yourself scarce.") Leftovers are delicious and easily frozen and
reheated.
One large frying pan
One pie pan, metal or Pyrex
Mixing bowl
Whisk
Fork
Bowls or other storage Crust:
Half a bag (or 8 oz) of Bob's Red Mill Almond Flour
1/2 cup of shredded Parmesan
3/4 of a stick of butter Filling:
1/2 cup crumbled bacon (3 slices uncrumbled)
Butter for sauteing, or bacon drippings
1/2 cup sauteed onion
1/2 cup diced tomato (1 small tomato)
1 cup shredded cheese (mixed Swiss and cheddar recommended)
1 cup chopped ham
Four eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream The night before, prepare ingredients. For the crust:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Melt butter in large pan on medium heat. When melted, mix in almond
flour and Parmesan.
3. Take crumbly crust and form in pie pan. Push up edges edges of plate
and form even layer. Plastic wrap between your hand and the crust may
help. Poke a few holes in the bottom of the crust with a fork.
4. Place crust in oven. After 20 minutes, drop heat to 300 degrees and
leave for another 15 minutes. You want a lightly brown crust that is
fairly dry when done.
5. Remove crust from oven and set aside. No need to refrigerate overnight. Total active time: 10 minutes, plus 35 minutes oven time For the filling, which you can work on while the crust is baking:
1. Fry bacon. Crumble and set aside. Reserve drippings for sauteing. (It's
also possible to buy precooked, precrumbled bacon for convenience).
2. Chop and saute onions. Set aside.
3. While onions cook, chop tomato. Squeeze out excess moisture. Set aside.
4. Chop and saute ham. Set aside.
5. Grate cheese. Set aside. (Pre-grated cheese saves a little time, but
barely enough to make a difference.
6. Store ingredients in separate wrapped bowls or closed containers in
refrigerator overnight. Total active time: 25 minutes of chopping, grating, and cooking. Time this right and all your prep of crust and filling takes about an
hour. If you have the ingredients and hardware, it takes as much time to
prepare three quiches as one. The morning you're serving: 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Thoroughly whisk four eggs in a mixing bowl. Add heavy cream.
3. Evenly distribute prepared filling ingredients within crust.
4. Pour egg and cream mixture over filling. Shake pie pan slightly to fill
any gaps around or beneath filling.
5. Bake in oven for about 40 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting a
skewer, toothpick, or knife into center. There should be no wobbling of
the filling when you lightly shake the pan. Total active time: 5 minutes Cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing, serving, and eating.
