Description
This Italian Sausage Quiche is a savory and hearty dish, perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a light dinner. A flaky shortcut pastry crust envelops a flavorful filling of seasoned Italian sausage, eggs, milk, mixed herbs, and melted cheese, topped with fresh cherry tomatoes for a vibrant touch. Simple to prepare and baked to golden perfection, it’s a crowd-pleaser that’s both comforting and delicious.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- Oil spray
- 1 1/2 sheets frozen shortcut pastry, thawed OR one 9″/23cm ready made pie crust
Filling
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 small onion, diced (brown, white, or yellow)
- 12 oz / 350g Italian sausages, casings removed
- 6 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tbsp dried Mixed Italian Herbs
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese (or tasty, provolone, monterey jack, or any other flavored melting cheese)
- 2/3 cup cherry tomatoes, halved and seeds scooped out
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) to prepare for baking the quiche.
- Prepare Dish: Lightly spray a 9″ (23cm) quiche flan or pie dish with oil to prevent sticking.
- Line with Pastry: Line the dish with the pastry sheet, trimming any excess. Use the extra half sheet to patch any gaps as one sheet might be slightly too small. Press all edges to seal well.
- Blind Bake: Cover the pastry with parchment baking paper, then fill it with raw rice or dried beans to weigh it down and prevent bubbling.
- Bake Crust: Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Then remove the parchment paper and weights. Return to the oven for an additional 10 minutes until the crust is golden and fully cooked. Remove from oven.
- Cook Filling Base: While the crust bakes, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and diced onion, sautéing until softened and fragrant, about 3-5 minutes. Add the Italian sausage, breaking it apart with a spoon, and cook until browned and cooked through, approximately 7-10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Prepare Egg Mixture and Assemble: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, mixed Italian herbs, salt, and black pepper. Stir in the cooked sausage mixture and grated cheese. Pour this filling evenly into the baked pastry crust. Scatter the cherry tomato halves on top, pressing them slightly into the filling.
- Bake Quiche: Place the quiche back in the oven and bake at 180°C (350°F) for about 30-35 minutes, or until the filling is set and the top is lightly golden.
- Cool and Serve: Remove the quiche from the oven and allow it to cool for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving. This resting time helps the filling to set and makes slicing easier.
Notes
- Note 1: Shortcut pastry is a type of pre-rolled pie dough that saves preparation time. Use thawed sheets for best results.
- Note 2: Mixed Italian herbs typically include a combination of basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, and marjoram. Use your preferred blend or dried Italian seasoning.
- To prevent soggy crust, blind bake the pastry before adding filling.
- You can substitute the Italian sausage with turkey sausage for a leaner option.
- Feel free to add vegetables like spinach or mushrooms to the filling for extra nutrition and flavor.
