tomato pancetta basil quiche

tomato pancetta basil quiche

• 9.29.2013

I'm getting tired of tomatoes. It pains me to even admit it. I've waxed on and on about how much I love them at times... but I'm getting tired of cooking them.

I don't want any more caprese salads. I guess that means it is really Fall. I want my mozzarella melted in my lasagna and not cold with balsamic. Hi Fall.

But tonight I was hungry and feeling lazy. I get in these places where if I know I'm hungry but I don't eat, I get cranky and start to actually feel terrible. The clock was ticking on my stomach... and the pile of tomatoes I have accumulating. By some miracle my brain flashed to this meal I made last summer for my lady friends. Tomato + egg + oven = Dinner.

This quick little quiche makes me really happy for a few reasons. The ingredients and the decision making. I guess those two could be related but I'm keeping them separate. I love when meals are sourced mainly from things that I grew or something that was produced in the yard. The tomatoes were grown in the suburban family garden and the eggs were laid this morning. Oh, and that basil.... I grew it on my fire escape. It'll be a sad day when I can't just reach out my window for some fresh basil. I feel like that day is fast approaching sadly.


Initially I was reluctant to use my prized suburban eggs for this quiche, so I cracked one Whole Foods egg before I came to my senses. That yolk on the right is saying "hi, I'm less than 18 hrs old". Fresh eggs are the best eggs.

I also came quite close to not adding pancetta to this quiche. Like real close. But I was at my favorite meat market getting some cheese and grabbed it at the last minute. I'm so glad I did - otherwise this would have been a tomato quiche... and I'm getting tired of tomatoes ... clearly.

I was highly ambivalent about this entire process until I poured the mixture in the pie plate. It wasn't until I saw the friendly combo of the bright red tomatoes and the vibrant green basil that I knew I had made some solid decisions.

Also, this will make for a phenomenal Monday morning breakfast. And if we aren't trying to make Mondays less painful, then what is really the point?

Here's how it goes.

(Step 1) I chopped up my pancetta and tossed it in a skillet with a smidge of olive oil. Pull the pancetta from the pan when it is just about crisp. 

(Step 2) In a bowl, crack up a 5-6 eggs. I only had 6 suburban eggs and was reluctant to use them all on this quiche - so that's really why I stopped at 5. For a more thick quiche, I'd probably go to 7 eggs maybe. Add in the milk. I would estimate I went with 1/4 cup but it's flexible. Give the whole thing a good whisk. Note: Pancetta is super salty so I didn't add any salt here, but if you don't use pancetta toss in some salt and pepper at this point.

(Step 3) Dice up your tomatoes. Grate your cheese. Cut your basil. Add it all to the egg/milk mixture. Obviously, this is another one of those moments where you add as much as you like of anything.

(Step 4) Lightly grease your pan and pour in the mixture. 

(Step 5) Toss into the oven at 350 F for about 25 minutes. The top/crust will puff up and become a golden brown. I treated it like brownies and stuck a knife in there to see if the center was still liquid-y.

(Step 6) Theoretically, you wait for it to cool.... I didn't. Eat and enjoy.

Shopping List
5-6 eggs
1/4 cup of milk

1/2 cups diced pancetta
3 San Marzano (or plum) tomatoes diced

4 basil leaves

1/2 cups of cheddar style cheese grated

salt and pepper