SAUSAGE & CHEESE QUICHE

This is a quiche that eats like a pizza and is perfect if you’re like me and don’t love eggs. That’s one of my dirty little food secrets. The key to this is the sausage. And the homemade crust. Oh, and the hand-grated cheese. It can be made ahead and it reheats really, really well.

You can use any sausage you like in this, but I love using Neese’s Hot sausage. It makes this quiche taste a little like a sausage ball, the kind everyone in the south makes at Christmastime, but’s it’s not chalky and dry like some sausage balls. I have a solution to that, BTW. Maybe I’ll share that at a later date. Now back to the importance of the pie dough. You are going to cuss me when you make this because, while it’s not difficult, it’s no Pillsbury ready-made pie crust either. I promise it’s worth it, and this recipe makes 2 crusts so you’ll have one to freeze. I like to use a springform pan because it makes a rustic and pretty presentation. An 8 or 9 inch pan will work. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 stick unsalted butter, cut into small cubes and chilled
• 1/2 cup pork lard chilled or frozen in small tbsps. or cubes (don’t recommend the shelf stable soybean product)*
• 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/3 cup full-fat buttermilk
• 1lb. hot sausage such as Neese’s
• 2 cups of sharp cheddar, hand-shredded (or cheese of your choice)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 large or extra-large eggs
• 1 large scallion, finely sliced
• 8oz. sliced cremini mushrooms sautéed

NOTE: I am able to source lard at my local butcher’s market.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Make the crust. In a large mixing bowl or in a food processor mix the flour and salt together. Add cold butter and lard and pulse in processor or if doing by hand, cut into the flour with a pastry cutter until it is incorporated. Slowly add the buttermilk and mix until combined and the dough has come together, without over-mixing. Divide the dough in half and press into a flat disc and chill in the fridge for at least an hour or up to 2-3 days. Or freeze.
2. When ready to bake, spray the springform pan or pie pan with cooking spray and using a floured rolling pin, roll out the dough so that it fits into a springform pan or pie plate and form your crust. I try to run the dough up the springform pan as high as it will go. It doesn’t have to be perfect, a rustic look is what I go for here. (If the dough softens too much and becomes difficult to work with, just pop it in the fridge or freezer for a few minutes.) You can then chill the dough or proceed to baking in a 350 degree oven. Line the crust with parchment paper and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake until the crust is light brown. This will take 20-30 minutes. Remove the parchment paper and the beans. If the dough has seperated just carefully press it back together with your hands. If dough has puffed up, you can prick the dough with a fork. Place back into the oven and bake for another 10 minutes. It should have a blonde, baked look to it and smell good! Let crust cool completely.
3. Cook sausage in a skillet over medium heat until it is cooked through, crumbling it with a spoon as it cooks. Remove cooked sausage with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate. If using mushrooms, you can sauté them in the sausage fat until browned and then set aside with the sausage.
4. Raise oven heat to 375 degrees.
5. Whisk the eggs and add the heavy cream and 1 cup of cheese to the eggs, along with the sausage and mushrooms, if using, and the scallions. Season with a pinch of kosher salt & as much pepper as you like. Fill the shell and top with the remaining cup of cheese. Place on a parchment or foil-lined sheet pan.
6. Bake the quiche for about 30 minutes. If you are making this ahead, this is where you take it out of the oven and let it cool completely. Store in fridge until ready to finish (up to 3 days).
7. If serving right away, you will want to cook the quiche for a total of about 45 minutes-to 1 hour. It can take longer so be sure to check it after 45 minutes. Use the tip of a paring knife to cut into the quiche and check for doneness. You may want to run a knife around the inside edge of the pan to gently loosen the pie crust.
8. Let the quiche cool for about 15 minutes so that it can set up and then release the springform pan and remove the quiche. Then serve.