Wild Garlic and Pancetta Quiche

Ingredients:

For the crust:

1 1/4 cup flour (156 grams) 

1 tsp salt

8 tbsp cold unsalted butter

1/4 cup ice water (59 grams)

1 egg, for glazing

For the filling:

5 eggs

1 cup heavy cream (249 g) 

2 cups low moisture shredded cheddar cheese (~200 g) + more for topping

4 oz pancetta (~130 grams) 

3 yellow onions, sliced and caramelized

10 wild garlic leaves, stems removed (replace with 3 green onions if you don’t have wild garlic) 

Salt and pepper 

Olive oil

For the garnish:

2-3 handfuls arugula

2 tbsp pesto

Freshly grated parmesan

Instructions:

The day before you are serving your quiche: 

Make the crust & line your pan:

1. Whisk the flour and salt. Add in the cubed butter and press the flour into the butter with your hands until the butter is the size of walnut halves. Start by adding in 2/3 of the ice water. Lightly work with your hands until a dough forms, adding more water as needed.

2. Tip the dough onto a clean surface and form into a 1 cm thick disk. A thinner disk while chilling will prevent the dough from heating too much while you roll it out. Don’t knead the dough, just work until the dough forms and you can still see visible chunks of butter. 

3. Place into plastic wrap and into the fridge for at least 30 minutes. 

4. Roll out the dough and form it into your pie pan, or you can shape it into a tart pan. Let this set in the fridge overnight, which will ensure the butter is fully set, preventing the crust from shrinking and losing shape while baking. 

The day of:

Blind bake and bake your crust:

1. Preheat your oven to 375 F/190 C.

2. Fill the chilled crust with crinkled parchment and pie weights, and bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until the sides of the tart are fully set and the bottom feels sandy with no greasiness. 

3. Remove the weights and bake the crust for another 5-10 minutes or until the entire crust has a light golden color and is fully set. 

4. Whisk the egg with a pinch of salt, then sieve the egg. Glaze the baked crust with the egg.

Make the caramelized onions:

1. Cut your onion into thin slices. 

2. Heat around 1 tbsp olive oil in a pan at medium heat. 

3. Start by sweating the onion. Place the sliced onion into your pan and season with a good amount of salt. The onions should slightly sizzle, but at this point should not bring on any color. Keep the onion on a consistent low to medium heat to allow the onions to soften. If the pan becomes dry add a splash of water to continue allowing the onions to soften. 

4. Once the onions have softened and become translucent, turn the heat up in your pan. At this point, I usually need to add more olive oil. Cook the shallots until they become lightly golden, about 10-15 more minutes. 

Finish the quiche:

1. Prep the remaining filling ingredients: Sear the pancetta until crisp and golden brown, slice your wild garlic or onion into thin slices, and grate your cheese. 

2. Combine the eggs, heavy cream, shredded cheddar, pancetta, wild garlic, salt, and pepper. Taste for seasoning. Fill the cooled pie crust first with a layer of the caramelized onion covering the bottom of the pan, then with the filling. Top with more cheese and bake at 350 F/170 C for about 30-45 minutes or until the filling is fully set. Let cool for at least 15 minutes. Top with arugula tossed in pesto and more freshly grated parm and enjoy!