Almond Crusted Quiche

The Ingredients (for 6 servings):

• 385 g (or 3 cups) of finely milled almond flour
• 40 g (or 3 tablespoons) of softened butter
• 1 egg
• 3 g (or ½ teaspoon) of salt
  
  
• 250 g (or 8 strips) of bacon
• 230 g (or 8 oz) of cheese (I prefer Manchego)
• 140 g (or 1 cup) of broccoli florets
• 6 eggs
• 180 ml (or ¾ cup) of milk
• 120 ml (or ½ cup) of half and half
• 3 g (or ½ teaspoon) of salt
• a shake or two of nutmeg

The Method:

Crust preparation

1. Lightly butter a pie pan.
2. Turn the oven on and set it to 180°C (or 350°F).
3. In a chilled bowl, mix together the almond flour, butter, egg, and salt using a fork or food processor.
4. When the dough forms a ball, shape it into a flattish disk on a board or countertop.
5. Before it has time to warm up, roll the dough out to a circle big enough to fit your pie pan. (I roll the dough between wax paper and parchment paper.)
6. Place the dough into the pie pan. Depending on its consistency, either lift it or slide it off the board. (I either invert the wax paper over the pie pan or, if it is too warm and soft, place the parchment paper with the rolled dough into the pie pan.)
7. Place the pie pan in the oven and bake for 30 min.

Dough is too warm and too soft for handling

Quiche fill and finish

1. Allow the half baked crust to cool at room temperature for 15 minutes.
   
   
2. Meantime, cook the bacon until it is crisp and has rendered most of its fat. (I place strips on paper towels and microwave them for 1 to 2 minutes more than the number of strips, i.e. 9 to 10 minutes for this recipe.)
3. Grate the cheese.
4. Wash the broccoli and trim off any pieces of tough stem.
5. Gently but thoroughly mix together the eggs, milk, half and half, salt, and nutmeg.
6. Place about two thirds of the cheese in the bottom of the pie crust.
7. Chop the bacon and scatter the pieces on top of the cheese.
8. Layer the broccoli on top of the bacon and cheese.
9. Slowly pour in the egg mixture, making sure to moisten every broccoli floret.
10. Sprinkle the remainder of the cheese on top of the quiche.
11. Place the quiche in the oven and bake it for approximately 45 minutes. (The quiche is not done until a light tap at its center shows that the egg mixture has set.)
12. Remove the quiche from the oven and allow it to cool for about 15 minutes before cutting into it.

Ready for the oven