One Leek And Gruyère Tart With Bacon Bread Crumbs. Two Ridiculous Songs.

Bacon Bread Crumbs.

That sounds good, huh? It is. They are.

Crispy bacon bread crumbs on top of a creamy, cheesy tart studded with plenty of leeks. Seriously good.

But, before the recipe how about a Ridiculous clip from The Odd Couple. This is one of my favorites ever.

Leek & Gruyère Quiche with Bacon Breadcrumbs

Ingredients:

1 tart or pie pastry shell (I used a ready roll pie crust dough. There is a recipe for a homemade tart shell below.)
1 Tbs olive oil
3 leeks, thinly sliced
1 Tbs freshly ground black pepper
6 eggs
1 cup cream
1/2 cup milk (can use skim)
6 oz Gruyère cheese, shredded
1 tsp salt
6 slices from a stale baguette (2 or 3-inch piece), or 2 slices sandwich bread
3 slices bacon, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375℉.

2. Place dough over a 9 inch tart pan and gently press into the pan, making sure the dough extends a little bit over the edge of the pan. Gently tent with aluminum foil and bake for 15 – 20 minutes, or until it’s golden. Remove from oven.

3. While tart shell is baking, make the filling. Place a large skillet over medium heat. Once it’s hot, heat the olive oil and add the leeks and pepper. Cook for about 7 minutes, or until leeks are soft and just beginning to brown. Remove from heat and set aside. (Reserve the skillet for later.)

4. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, milk and salt. Stir in the leeks and gruyère and carefully ladle the mixture into the cooked pie shell. If you have leftovers, you can make mini-crustless quiches in ramekins (bake for 15 minutes or so).

5. place the quiche in the oven and cook for 35 – 40 minutes or until the top is deeply golden and the custard is set in the center. (I placed my tart pan and the mini ramekin on a baking tray just in case they overflowed. They didn’t, but it still made getting the filled tart into and out of the oven easier)

6. While the quiche is cooking, prepare the breadcrumbs. Grate stale bread in the food processor. If the bread is not stale enough, toast it, then make breadcrumbs.

7. Set skillet back over medium heat and add the bacon. Cook until the bacon is almost crisp – cooking time will depend on the thickness of the bacon. Add the breadcrumbs and toast in the bacon drippings. Once the bacon is crisp and the breadcrumbs are golden, remove from heat and set aside.

8. Let the quiche rest for 15 minutes, then sprinkle with the breadcrumbs.

Makes about 6 – 8 servings.

Tart Shell

Ingredients:

2.5 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup chilled water

Directions:

1. Place the flour and salt in a bowl then add the butter. Using a knife or pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour to form large crumbs. Add the water and mix until just combined. Place a piece of plastic wrap on your work surface, then dump the content of the bowl onto it. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes or up to a day. You can also refrigerate for 20 minutes, then place in an air-tight ziploc bag and freeze until you’re ready to use the dough.

2. When you are ready to use the dough, divide it in half. Sprinkle each half with flour and roll out into a thin round.

Makes enough for 2 pie/quiche shells.

Recipe from Bitchin’ Camero

Here’s the extra in a little tart.

Mmmmm….bacon bread crumbs on top.