Shiitake-Pancetta-Spinach Quiche

My mother makes a fabulous shiitake mushroom quiche. Although mine are never as good as hers, I did make a variation adding pancetta and spinach to the shiitake mushrooms. I got lazy and used a store-bought pie crust but there is so much flavor in the filling that it doesn’t really matter. It looks like a heavy dish with so much cream but it’s very filling and a small slice is very satisfying.


Shiitake-Pancetta-Spinach Quiche (makes one 9” quiche)

• Pie crust
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 4 oz. pancetta, chopped
• 4 oz. shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 9 oz. baby spinach
• 2 eggs plus 2 egg yolks
• 1 ½ cups light cream
• 1 cup grated Gruyère cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Roll the pie crust until it is 12” across. Put the pastry it in a quiche or pie pan. Press some foil into the middle so it won’t puff. Bake for 10 minutes.
2. Heat the olive oil. Add the pancetta and sauté until it begins to crisp, 2-3 minutes. Add the shiitake mushrooms and sauté until golden, about 4-5 minutes. Add the spinach and cook, stirring often, until wilted. Remove from heat.
3. Preheat the oven to 375°. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and cream together. Stir in the cheese. Scatter the mushrooms, pancetta, and spinach over the bottom of the pastry. Ladle the egg mixture on top. Bake until nicely browned, about 30 minutes.