A complete meal all on its own, this recipe is not only tasty and fairly quick, but I found it refrigerated quite well too.

ingredients:

	½ cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
	3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
	1 tablespoon cold vegetable shortening
	½ teaspoon salt
	freshly cracked black pepper to taste
	1 cup chopped chicken kolbassa (casings discarded)
	1 red bell pepper and 1 yellow pepper, chopped (about 1 cup)
	1 portabello mushroom, chopped
	½ large vidallia onion, chopped
	½ cup grated Cheddar
	3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
	2 large eggs
	½ cup heavy cream
	3 tablespoons milk

directions:

1. In a bowl blend together the flour, butter, shortening, and a pinch of salt until the mixture resembles meal. Add 1 ½ tablespoons ice water, and toss the mixture until the water is incorporated, adding more water if necessary to form the dough into a ball.

2. Pat the dough into 7 ½-inch tart pan with a removable rim and bake the shell in the bottom third of a preheated 425°F. oven for 7 minutes, or until it is just golden.

3. While the shell is baking, in a large skillet cook the kolbassa with the bell peppers, covered, over moderately high heat, stirring, for 7 minutes, or until the kolbassa is no longer pink and the bell peppers are soft, and drain the mixture, discarding any excess fat.

3. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, stir in the remaining salt, the pepper, the Cheddar, and the Parmesan, and spread the mixture in the bottom of the shell.
4. In a bowl whisk together the eggs, the cream, and the milk, pour the egg mixture over the sausage mixture, and bake the quiche on a baking sheet in the middle of a preheated 425°F. oven for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350°F. and bake the quiche for 10 minutes more.

after-thoughts:

Changes I would make next time:

- the pastry; find a recipe for one with less butter, for my own taste
- add sundried tomatoes to the filling (yum!)
- maybe cook the pastry a bit longer...?
- eggwhites next time for a lower fat version?

Filed under:   Breakfast Foods   Main Courses