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Recipe Detail Page
Deep-Dish Bacon & Chard Quiche
Spring 2022
A really good quiche can be a lot of work! I fully endorse blind-baking the crust and prepping the filling a day ahead. Nobody really wants to be up at 6 a.m.—ever. You could even complete the whole thing the evening beforehand—it’s delicious at room temp, too. This one features Swiss chard, my vote for the most underappreciated veg of all time. Married to bacon in a seriously rich base, it’s the stuff quiche dreams are made of.
Serves 6 to 8
CRUST
2 cups (500 mL) flour
1 tsp (5 mL) salt
12 tbsp (180 mL, 1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1/3 cup (80 mL) cold water
FILLING
1 bunch red or rainbow chard, leaves and
stems separated
3 slices thick-cut bacon, diced
1 onion, sliced
Salt
Water as needed
1 tbsp (15 mL) unsalted butter
1/2 cup (125 mL) finely grated Parmesan
5 eggs, plus 3 egg yolks
1 1/4 cups (310 mL) whipping cream
1. For the crust, pulse flour and salt in a food processor to combine. Add butter and process until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add water through feed tube and pulse a few times to incorporate. Turn out onto work surface, gather with your hands (dough will be shaggy) and press to flatten into a 6-inch (15-cm) disc. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2 Meanwhile, cut very wide chard stalks lengthwise into halves or thirds, then cut all stalks into 1-inch (2.5-cm) lengths. Roughly chop the leaves; keep stalks and leaves separate.
3 In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until lightly crisped. Remove with a slotted spoon to a large bowl; set aside.
4. Reduce heat to low, add onion and cook, stirring from time to time, until translucent, 6 minutes. Add chard leaves, increase heat to medium, season with salt and cover. Cook until wilted, about 3 minutes, stir (add a splash of water to the skillet if the pan is dry), then cover again and cook 4 to 6 minutes longer until tender. Remove to mixing bowl containing bacon.
5. Return skillet to medium heat, add butter, a splash of water and the chard stems. Season with a bit of salt and cook, covered, stirring from time to time and refreshing with a bit of water as necessary, for 11 to 13 minutes or until tender. Tip out into a separate bowl. Let the stems and leaf mixtures cool to room temp. (Complete the leaf mixture and stems to this point up to a day ahead, and cover and refrigerate until ready to assemble quiche.)
6. Preheat oven to 375°F (191°C).
7. Remove dough from refrigerator and let stand to warm up a bit. On a lightly floured surface, roll out into a 14-inch (35-cm) round. Carefully roll dough around the pin and transfer to a 10‑inch (25-cm) springform pan. Tuck into edges and line with parchment. Fill with ample pie weights, rice or dried beans. Bake on the centre rack for 50 to 55 minutes or until visible edges are golden. Remove pie weights and parchment. (Blind-baking may be completed up to a day in advance; afterward, store crust uncovered at room temperature.)
8. Stir Parmesan into chard leaf mixture. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, cream and 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt. Pour over chard leaf mixture and stir to combine. Tip into prepared crust and evenly distribute the bacon, chard and onion; sprinkle chard stems over top and place on middle rack in oven. Immediately reduce temperature to 350°F (177°C).
9. Bake until set but not puffed, 40 to 45 minutes. Let stand for at least 30 minutes before cutting into wedges to serve.
Serves 6 to 8
