Now that we’ve entered the holiday season, it’s nice to have some simple yet impressive dishes up your sleeve for family gatherings or even those increasingly rare quiet moments at home. I love this dish as a simple brunch offering or as a side dish on the buffet. I opted to use puff pastry for the crust since it has such great texture and isn’t as dense as the usual pie crust. If you’re feeling super adventurous, feel free to make the puff pastry from scratch. I used Trader Joe’s brand, though it can be found at any grocery store or Whole Foods. Once again, I’ve included some options to modify this dish based on your personal tastes. I’ve made mine with sharp cheddar, though a blue cheese or Gruyere would also be delicious. If you’re making this for breakfast or brunch, a few slices of bacon that have been cooked and crumbled would make a great addition. Finally, I would recommend serving this with a light salad: just some fresh greens or arugula tossed with lemon and olive oil would be delightful!

Ingredients:

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
1 medium leek, cleaned and cut into half moons
1 apple, cored and cut into small cubes
3 pieces of bacon, cooked and crumbled (optional)
1 cup sharp cheddar, grated (or crumbled blue cheese or Gruyere)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 teaspoons fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)
3 eggs
1 cup cream or half and half

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 425*.
2. Roll puff pastry to an 11-inch square. Transfer to 9-inch pie pan and trim the edges.
3. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the leek and apples and sauté until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, nutmeg, thyme, and salt.
5. Distribute the apples, leeks, and cheese (and bacon) evenly in the pie pan. Pour the egg mixture over the top.
6. Bake until the eggs have just set, about 25-30 minutes. Allow the quiche to rest for about 10 minutes before cutting it. This will let the eggs finish setting up.