Caramelized Pear and Gorgonzola Quiche from Closet Cooking (makes 6+ servings) Ingredients: 1/4 cup pancetta (diced) 1 large shallot (diced) 1 tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon brown sugar 2 pears (cored and sliced into bite sized pieces) 4 eggs (lightly beaten) 1 cup half and half 1/2 teaspoon thyme 1/2 cup gorgonzola (crumbled) 1 pre-baked walnut butter pie crust (see below) Directions: 1. Cook the pancetta and shallot in a pan. 2. Add the butter and let it melt. 3. Add the sugar and cook until bubbly, about 3 minutes. 4. Add the pear and saute until tender, about 3-5 minutes. 5. Mix the pears, eggs, half and half, thyme and gorgonzola and pour it into the pre-baked pie crust. 6. Bake in a preheated 375F oven until golden brown on top and set in the center, about 25-45 minutes. Walnut Butter Pie Crust (Pâte Brisée)(makes 1 crust)Ingredients: 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 cup ground walnuts (toasted before ground) 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon sugar 8 tablespoons (1/2 cup or 1 stick) unsalted butter (cold, cut into 1/2 inch cubes) 4-5 tablespoons water (cold) Directions: 1. Pulse the flour, ground walnuts, salt and sugar in a food processor to mix. 2. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal, about 6-8 times. 3. Add a tablespoon of water at a time pulsing in between until it starts to clump together. 4. Place the dough on a clean surface and shape it into a disc. 5. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least an hour. 6. Roll the dough into a 12 inch circle about 1/8 of an inch thick on a lightly floured surface. 7. Place the dough into a 9 inch diameter spring form pan with the edges going up the side of the pan. 8. Place a piece of parchment paper in the pie and fill it with rice or beans to hold it down. 9. Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 15 minutes. 10. Remove the parchment paper and weight and poke the bottom of the crust with a fork a few times. 11. Bake until a light golden brown, about 10 minutes. |