19" deep dish pie crust, for a single crust pie, homemade or store-bought (refrigerated or frozen)
6slicesbacon, cut into lardons (or 1/4" matchsticks) (I prefer a low-sodium variety)
2leeks, (white + a bit of the light green part) cleaned + sliced into half moons
2clovesgarlic, minced
2ouncegruyere cheese, shredded
1ouncegrated parmesan, divided
4largeeggs
1½cups low fat buttermilk
2tablespoonchives or thyme, chopped (or a combo)
kosher salt + fresh cracked black pepper
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450°F.
For homemade/refrigerated pie dough: Transfer the crust to a pie plate and crimp the edges. Chill in the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes.For frozen pie crust: Remove from the freezer to counter for 10 minutes.
Prick the bottom and sides of the pie crust with a fork, then bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Keep and eye on it; prick any areas that start to puff up.
Remove from the oven; reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.
Add bacon pieces to a cold skillet and place over medium heat. Cook the bacon until crisp, then transfer to a paper towel to drain. Remove all but 1 tbsp of the rendered fat. Add the leeks and garlic and cook until the leeks are tender, only about 2 to 3 minutes. Drain the leeks on a paper towel as well. Distribute the bacon and leeks across the bottom of the precooked pie shell. Sprinkle with gruyere and half the parmesan.
Whisk the eggs, buttermilk and herbs together in a mixing bowl. Season with kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Pour the mixture over the filling. Sprinkle the top with remaining parmesan.
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
Video
Notes
This recipe calls for slicing the bacon into thin strips, called lardons. It's easiest to slice bacon when it's really cold. If the bacon is too slippery to slice, pop it in the fridge or freezer to firm it up.
Leeks are notoriously sandy. Once you cut them into half moons, place them in a strainer and set that in a large bowl of cool water. Agitate the leeks with your hands to loosen up and release any dirt and sand. The yucky stuff should sink the bottom of the bowl. Lift the strainer out, give them another quick rinse with clean water, then spread out on a kitchen towel to dry.
To store leftovers, wrap in plastic wrap or transfer individual slices to airtight containers and store in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Reheat in an oven, toaster oven (at 350°F) or microwave (on medium power) until the internal temperature is 165°F.
For freezing instructions, please visit the full post.
Keywords.Keyword freezer-friendly, make ahead, oven, stove top
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