One Tomato, Two Tomato

If you're old enough to remember -- there used to be a saying that "real men don't eat quiche." There also is an old saying, "50 million Frenchmen can't be wrong."

I like quiche. I've always liked quiche. What could be wrong with ham and cheese and onions baked in a tart shell? So that's why I chose to show you a variation on the classic quiche -- one that might help you use some of the bounty from your garden, as the growing season for most of us in the north winds up.

We've got lots of tomatoes in our garden, mostly Romas. The recipe calls for one can of diced tomatoes, but I add parenthetically that you can use fresh tomatoes. The quantity you need depends primarily on the variety of tomato you use. Since I use the Roma variety, I need about 4, sometimes 5 to make this recipe. If you're using the Beefsteak variety you may need only one or perhaps one and a half.

You can always weigh your tomato addition after you've seeded and diced them. The recipe calls for a 14-1/2 ounce can.

And truth be told, when all is baked, this quiche tastes almost like a deep dish pizza. If I had added oregano, it probably would have tasted almost exactly like pizza.

So I know there are a lot of you reading this who've eaten cold pizza for breakfast. Well, here's a way to have your pizza and have it warmed, too.

I also like the versatility of this dish, since it can be a breakfast, brunch or lunch dish all by itself. At lunch, I might serve a salad with it. For breakfast or brunch I might serve some thick sliced Canadian bacon.

In any case, I highly recommend this recipe. I'll add my recipe for savory pie crust at the end of this week's blog, but I promise not to tell if you buy the pre-made Pillsbury pie dough in the refrigerated section near the dairy products.

Here's the video, followed by the recipe(s):

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 14 1/2 oz. can diced tomatoes (or use 3 to 4 fresh medium tomatoes, seeded and diced)
1 Tbsp tomato paste
2 pinches sugar
salt and pepper to taste
1 rosemary sprig
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
3/4 cup whole milk
1/2 cup Swiss cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded

Make a savory pie crust and insert into a tart pan and trim.

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a wide large saucepan and add the onions. Cook until onion softens. Add some salt and pepper and continue to cook.

Pulse the tomatoes 4 or 5 times in a food processor. Do not process to long or they will turn pink.

Add garlic to the onions and cook until fragrant - about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and raise the heat. Add the tomato paste, sugar, salt and pepper, rosemary sprig and thyme and simmer, stirring often until the tomatoes cook down and smell fragrant. Remove any rosemary needles that may have detached from the sprig. Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool slightly.

Preheat the oven to 350. Beat the eggs and egg yolks in a large bowl. Brush the bottom of the pie crust with a small amount of the beaten eggs. Park bake the crust for about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool slightly.

Beat the milk into the eggs. Add salt and pepper and beat well. Stir in the cheeses and the tomato sauce and mix until well combined.

Pour into the cooled crust and place back in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

PIE CRUST

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter (use frozen, cut into chunks)
4 to 8 Tbsp ICE WATER

Combine flour, salt and sugar and butter in a food processor,

Pulse until mixture resembles small peas. Be careful not to over-process, as this will result in a tough pastry.

Add ice water, a tablespoon at a time, adding only enough until the dough comes together.

Gather the dough into a ball, then flatten it to form a disc. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least a half hour before rolling out.