Caramelized Onion Quiche

• servings: 8 servings
• total time: 2 hours 10 minutes

Ingredients

1 recipe pie dough

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2-3 large red onions (about one pound total), French-cut

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup heavy cream

3 large eggs

Pinch nutmeg

6 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated (1 1/2 cups)

Directions

To caramelize onions, you'll want to slice them lengthwise or from stem end to root end. That way the onions will hold their shape better during the long cooking involved in caramelizing.

If you are making your own crust, roll out your dough on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch circle. Fit into a 9 x 1 1/2-inch round tart pan (or 9-inch pie dish), pressing dough into corners, extending the edges extra high to allow for shrinkage. Transfer to freezer to chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line pastry with aluminum foil, pressing into the corners and edges, allowing extra foil on the sides (they'll be your handles when you remove the foil). Fill at least 2/3 of the crust with baking weights—dried beans, rice, copper pennies, or ceramic or metal pie weights.

Bake first for 15 minutes, remove from the oven and let cool a few minutes. Carefully remove aluminum foil and weights.

Remove the weights and poke the bottom of pie pan with the tines of a fork and return to oven, and bake an additional 10 minutes or until lightly golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool while making the filling.

Heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed sauté pan on medium heat. Add the onions and sprinkle a little salt over them. Cook, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes, until the onions have softened and are translucent. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for an additional 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are well browned. Add 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar and cook for 10 minutes more, until onions are completely caramelized. Remove from heat.

Place tart pan on a baking sheet to catch any runoff. Sprinkle half the cheese evenly over the bottom of the crust. Spread onions over the cheese and then top with remaining cheese.

In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, cream, and eggs. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Pour over the tart.

Transfer to the 350°F oven and bake until just set in the center, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for about 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.

Notes

10/09/2022: Added cooked chopped bacon to the caramelized onion layer in Step 7.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: Serves 6-8
• Calories: 433 kcal
• Total Fat: 28 g
• Saturated Fat: 12 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
• Cholesterol: 103 mg
• Sodium: 437 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 33 g
• Dietary Fiber: 2 g
• Total Sugars: 5 g
• Protein: 13 g