Bacon and Tomato Quiche for Two - Buttermilk Pastry

Bacon and Tomato Quiche was an idea that popped into my head when I was being all amazed at the fact that I have too many homegrown tomatoes on hand--a great problem to have, no? I don't have such a glut of them that I need to can them, just enough that I need to think of new ways to use them so that none are wasted.

I also had some leftover buttermilk on hand, and you know how I hate to waste anything, so buttermilk pastry. The first time I used buttermilk in pie dough, it was the same situation. And the pastry came out so great, I was really excited thinking I had invented something. But, no, I googled it and found buttermilk pastry was already a thing!

Anyway, I also wanted to make just enough quiche for two, so pulled out a Pyrex 207 Petite Pie Plate with scalloped handles. But, as I mentioned in my Peach Pie for Two post, this item has been discontinued. If you don't have it, or can't find a used one, you can order one of these: Anchor Hocking 6-Inch Glass Pie Plate or Fox Run 7-Inch Pie Tin.

When I bake or par-bake an empty pie shell, I don't use pie weights and never have any trouble with the pastry slumping down into the dish. That is perhaps because I chill the pastry before rolling it, put it into the pie plate without stretching it, make a lovely high, crimped edge, dock it (poke it all over, sides as well, with a fork) and chill it well again. 

You can find more detailed directions for making pastry here at my How to Make Pie Crust By Hand tutorial. What are your favorite pastry tips and techniques?

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Bacon and Tomato Quiche for Two

(Makes one 6- to 7-inch quiche)

The Pastry

1 dip-and-sweep cup (5 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter, well chilled

3 to 5 tablespoons buttermilk 

The Filling

3 slices (about 3 ounces) bacon (I use organic uncured), cut into 1/4-inch-wide slices

1/4 cup chopped onions

1/3 cup lightly squeezed and drained diced tomatoes plus thin slices (patted dry with paper towel) to decorate top

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup milk (I use organic 2%)

1 teaspoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

Pinch crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 packed cup (2 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese

1 In medium bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Cut chilled butter into thin pats. With fingers, quickly work the butter into the flour, leaving some pieces the size of small peas. 

2 Sprinkle 3 tablespoons buttermilk over flour mixture while stirring with large fork. Add a little more, if needed. 

3 Turn dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap and flatten slightly into an inch-thick disk; double wrap; refrigerate for 1 hour. May be frozen for up to a month; defrost, wrapped, in the refrigerator.

4 If dough is thoroughly chilled, let it stand at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before rolling. Don't throw out the piece of plastic wrap; you'll be using it again. Butter a 6- to 7-inch pie plate. On lightly floured surface, roll out disk to an 11- or 12-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick. Place pastry in pie plate, being careful to not stretch the dough. Crimp the edge. Prick the bottom and sides of the crust all over with a fork. Cover loosely with that reserved square of plastic wrap and refrigerate* for 30 minutes. During last 15 minutes, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake the thoroughly chilled crust for 20 minutes.

5 *While pie shell is chilling and then baking, prepare filling. In skillet, sauté the bacon pieces until slightly crisp; drain on paper towel. Pour most of fat out of the skillet and sauté the onions for 5 minutes.  

6 Remove par-baked pie shell from the oven; reduce the temperature to 350 degrees. In small bowl (I use a 1-quart glass measure), combine eggs, milk, parsley, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Scatter a third of the cheese over the crust, then the onion and half the tomatoes, half the remaining cheese, the bacon and remaining tomatoes, half the remaining cheese. Pour in the filling, and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Decorate the top with some patted-dry thin slices of tomato. 

7 Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 to 40 minutes or until crust is golden and a knife inserted an inch in from the edge comes out clean. Let cool on wire rack for about 20 to 30 minutes before slicing and serving. 

* Vegetarians might like my Vegetable Quiche (and it includes one of my Julia Child stories). There are lots of quiche recipes in Julia's Mastering the Art of French Cooking (2 Volume Set).

Jean