Hearty Chard, Pancetta, and Pecorino Quiche Recipe

By
Kerry Saretsky
a photograph of Kerry Seretsky, a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Kerry Saretsky

Kerry Saretsky interned at Serious Eats in 2008, and wrote the French in a Flash recipe column. She also writes her own blog on modernized French cuisine called French Revolution Food.

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Updated May 15, 2019
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Kerry Saretsky

A store-bought piecrust is what makes this quiche French In A Flash. It gets topped with a hearty winter mix of pancetta, the closest thing to ventrèche I can get my hands on, and wilted Swiss chard. Over that goes a mixture of eggs, milk, crème fraîche, and salty, sharp Pecorino Romano cheese. Put it all in the oven and it's less than half an hour to puffed, golden deliciousness.

Recipe Details

Hearty Chard, Pancetta, and Pecorino Quiche Recipe

Active 15 mins
Total 45 mins
Serves 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 recipe easy pie dough, made with no sugar
  • 2 ounces pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch cubes (about 1 cup)
  • 14 ounces Swiss chard, tough ends removed, leaves chopped (about 3 quarts loosely packed leaves)
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • A pinch of ground nutmeg
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup crème fraîche
  • 1 cup coarsely grated Pecorino Romano

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a pie plate with the piecrust. Dock, and bake until golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

  2. Meanwhile, add the pancetta to a large straight-sided sauté pan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until fat is rendered and pancetta starts to crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the chard and season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of ground nutmeg. Cook, stirring often, until the chard is wilted and the pan is dry, 5 to 8 minutes longer.

  3. Scatter the chard and pancetta over the crust. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, crème fraîche, and Pecorino. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour mixture over chard and and return to the oven until quiche is barely set (the center should still jiggle) and a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Allow to cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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