Quiche with Leeks & Pancetta

This quiche with creamy leeks and crisp pancetta is a wonderful addition to Sunday brunch!  

I love getting my friends together for Sunday brunch.  It’s a nice way to end the weekend, and hosting at someone’s house makes it a little more relaxed than going out.  It also gives you a lot of flexibility in terms of the menu.  Quiche is one of my all-time favorite brunch dishes.  It’s perfect for a casual brunch or even a more formal holiday event.   If you’ve read some of my other posts you’ll know that leeks and pancetta are one of my favorite combinations, so I thought it was time to put them into one of my favorite dishes!  I first made this one for a Saturday rooftop brunch with some of my co-workers and got lots of compliments! 

For the most part, all quiche consists of the same basic ingredients – eggs, dairy, cheese, spices and fillings (veggies, meats etc), usually baked in a nice flaky pie crust.  I use half and half in my quiche, however if you want it a little bit lighter you can substitute whole milk.  Quiche is another great dish to experiment with, as you can substitute pretty much anything that suits your taste for the filling.

It’s also good if you are going to someone else’s house for brunch, as it travels well and is easy to reheat.  And since it doesn’t have to be super hot when served it works if you don’t have the option to reheat!

If I’m in a hurry, I’ll substitute pre-made pie crust, though it is just not quite the same as making it from scratch.  This is an easy basic pie crust recipe;  if I’m making a sweet pie I’ll add 1 tsp sugar to this recipe.  When I first started baking, I made pie crust using a pastry cutter, which is what you can do if you don’t have a food processor, however you’ll find that using the food processor gives the crust a better consistency and quite honestly, is much easier!

If you whip up a few mimosas or your favorite brunch drink, you’ll have the start to the perfect Sunday Funday!!

things you may want for this recipe

Quiche Pan – If you make a lot of quiches, or tarts, it’s nice to have this dish as creates the perfect depth for this type of recipe.  At only $10 it’s a good kitchen tool to have around if you have space.  A standard pie plate will also work for this recipe.

Food Processor – A food processor is really a must-have kitchen tool, as it makes life so much easier!  For pie crust it’s a huge time saver.  The 8-cup size is great for most uses and is a space saver if you have a smaller kitchen.

Quiche with Leeks & Pancetta

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews

• Author: Kathryn | FoodieGirlChicago
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Total Time: 70 minutes
• Yield: 8 servings
• Category: Breakfast + Brunch
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: French

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Description

This quiche with creamy leeks and crisp pancetta is a wonderful addition to Sunday brunch!

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Ingredients

For the crust:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, (I prefer King Arthur)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 oz European style butter, cut into small cubes
• 4 tablespoons very cold water

For the filling:

• 3 oz thin sliced pancetta, chopped
• 3/4 cup leeks, thinly sliced
• 5 eggs
• 1 cup half and half
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 oz gruyere, grated
• 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
• 1/2 cup Italian parsley leaves, chopped

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Add flour and salt to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a standard blade; pulse 2-3 times. Add butter and pulse several times until a pea-sized mixture forms. With the motor running, pour in water, continue to process until a ball forms.
3. Lightly flour a work surface. Roll dough into a circle to fit your pie pan. Place dough in the pie pan; flute the edges if your pie pan does not have a natural curve to it. Refrigerate until ready to assemble quiche.
4. Heat a medium saute pan to just under medium heat. Add pancetta and cook 7-8 minutes, until crisp. Remove from pan and drain on a plate covered with a paper towel. Add leeks to the pan, sauté 1 minute. Remove leeks from pan and add to cooling pancetta.
5. Place eggs in a large bowl, whisk until all yolks are broken. Add half & half, salt and pepper; whisk until blended. Add cheese, leeks, pancetta, cardamom and parsley. Mix well.
6. Pour egg mixture into the prepared pie crust. Cook for 40 minutes or until a knife comes out clean. Cool slightly before serving.

Updated.  Originally published June 2015.