Pumpkin or Squash Quiche

[spiderdust]

This isn't a vegetarian recipe; it calls for bacon. However, I think the bacon could easily be replaced with vegetarian breakfast strips or left out entirely. For a lower carb version, skip the crust part of the recipe & instead pour the filling mixture into a well greased quiche pan. I'll bet this quiche would be good with 1/2 a cup of sauteed spinach added to it as well!


Pumpkin Quiche
(from Yankee magazine)

1 fully baked 9-inch pie shell (use your favorite quiche or piecrust recipe and bake blind)

For filling:

3 thick slices bacon, about 1/4 pound

3 large eggs

1/2 heavy cream

1 cup pumpkin or squash puree

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, preferably freshly grated

3/4 teaspoon cumin

2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or other Parmesan cheese

Set rack in middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Fry bacon until crisp, either over medium heat or in a microwave oven. Drain thoroughly, and crumble over bottom of prepared pastry shell.

In a bowl with a spout or a large measuring cup, lightly beat eggs. Add cream, pumpkin puree, salt, spices, and cheese, and whisk just until blended.

Pour mixture into crust, leaving room for custard to swell during baking. There should be almost a quarter inch of headroom. If there is leftover custard, bake it separately in a buttered ramekin or custard cup, again leaving room for custard to swell.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until custard is set and puffy. Serve warm.

[*The YANKEE cook points out: This is a quiche, low and flat. The prepared shell should come just to the top edge of the quiche pan.]