Bacon, Mushroom and Chard Puff Pastry Quiche
Store-bought puff pastry makes for a great shortcut quiche. Just add your favorite veggies, meat and cheese.
We can all agree that this isn’t the prettiest quiche any of us has ever seen. Look at that uneven crust. It’s flaky, I admit, but it doesn’t get many points for looks. To call it rustic is to be generous and kind.
We were preparing to leave for vacation last month and I had a refrigerator to clean out. I had the usual medley of foodstuff to use up–greens and mushrooms, cooked bacon, a random assortment of cheeses, milk that wouldn’t keep during our absence, there are always eggs and I remembered the open package of frozen puff pastry in the freezer. I had never prepared quiche using puff pastry before but it just made sense to try it with the odd bits I had.
The crust being one of my favorite parts of quiche or any pie, I didn’t have high expectations for this bake using frozen puff pastry but I was pleasantly surprised. It held together well considering how thin it was after being rolled out.
And though this post is mainly about using a shortcut crust, the sautéed vegetables, bacon and mixed cheeses worked well together, making this quiche so much more than just a clean-out-the-fridge dish. It’s something I would prepare again exactly the same way…I might just put a little more effort into making the puff pastry a little more attractive for a blog.
Notes and Tips on Puff Pastry Quiche
- Roll out the thawed puff pastry to make it easier to work with.
- Prick the puff pastry with a fork before par-baking.
- Par-bake the crust to avoid a soggy bottom.
- Trim the puff pastry to get a more consistent round look.
A Note about the Egg and Milk Ratio/Amounts
The most popular ratio I’ve seen is one egg for every 1/2 cup dairy. I tend to use a lower ratio (just a little over 1/3 cup per egg) but still get a light texture without a spongy custard. This quiche has a light, almost loose texture but it comes together.
Depending on how evenly you fill your pastry dish and how much add-ins you use, you may have extra egg/milk. If you use a similar pie dish you can cut back on just the milk by maybe 1/4 cup without compromising the texture of the custard. If you have a ratio of egg to milk that you know works for you, feel free to use that.
Bacon, Mushroom and Chard Puff Pastry Quiche
Store-bought puff pastry makes for a great shortcut quiche. Just add your favorite veggies, meat and cheese.
Ingredients
- 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
- 5 large eggs
- 1 3/4 – 2 cups half and half (See note)
- 1/2 cup cooked bacon, chopped (See note)
- 2 ones stem Swiss chard or large bok choy, chopped
- 1/2 cup mushrooms, diced
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 1 cup assorted cheese (I used gouda, cheddar, jack)
- salt, pepper and onion powdrer, to taste
- olive oil
Instructions
Prepare the Crust
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Preheat your oven to 400ºF. Roll out your sheet of thawed puff pastry on a lightly floured surface–enough to cover most of the dish you plan to use. Lay it on a pie dish, tuck any overhang and prick with a fork. Cover it with parchment paper and pour rice or baking stones in the well and par bake the puff pastry sheet for ten minutes.
Prepare the Filling
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In a medium bowl, lightly whisk the eggs and stir in the half and half.
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Heat a skillet over medium hight heat. Add a tablespoon or two of olive oil and cook the onion for one or two minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook for three to four minutes followed by the bok choy. Season with salt, pepper and a few dashes of onion powder (optional). Add the already cooked bacon to the cooked vegetables and set aside.
Assembly
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Spoon the vegetable/bacon mixture into the par-baked pastry shell and add half of the shredded cheese. Pour in the egg/milk mixture (I like to give the liquid one last stir); you may have a little extra (see my note below). Add the remaining shredded cheese (I just set aside some of the raw vegetables to lay on top but this is optional) and bake for about 35 minutes or until the quiche is golden brown and mostly set. Serve warm.
Recipe Notes
Half and half: Depending on how much vegetable/meat filling you end up using and/or the size of your pie dish, you may have extra egg/milk mixture. You can use the lower amount to start and see how your crust looks after par-baking. The adjustment in the milk shouldn’t affect the texture of the custard significantly.
Bacon: I used already cooked bacon for this recipe but if you’re starting with uncooked, you can prepare the bacon, cook, drain the rendered fat if you wish and use the same pan for cooking the vegetables.
Love this! Puff pastry is just so handy. Love your ingredients – especially the cheeses!
i love butter puff pastry, and i love quiches tho we don’t eat them much any more. (too much dairy; too many carbs). i love the rustic look here.