Pi Day Bacon and Cheese Quiche

If you’re someone who likes just about any excuse to celebrate, you probably know that next Wednesday is Pi Day.  Every March 14, math geeks everywhere celebrate that the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter equals approximately 3.14.  And how do we celebrate?  By eating pie and other round foods, of course!

In honor of this year’s Pi Day, I’m sharing a recipe to make Pi Day Bacon and Cheese Quiche.  I love quiche, and my kids will actually eat it as well, provided I don’t put any vegetables in it.  If you’re not working under similar limitations, feel free to add some spinach, sautéed mushrooms, onions, or pepper, steamed broccoli, or just about any other lightly cooked vegetable that strikes your fancy.  This recipe is easily customizable, so add your own favorites.

I picked up eggs from Dragonfly Farms at the Westford Winter Farmer’s Market.  I also used some Nobscot Eastleigh Fresh Chive Cheese, also from the market.  Both were fabulous in this recipe.  You just can’t beat fresh ingredients for making delicious food!

Feel free to get into the Pi Day spirit and serve round food all day.  bagels from the Westford Farmer’s Market would make a great breakfast.  Pizza Pi is delightful—use pepperoni or vegetables to write the greek letter pi in the middle of your pizza.  And don’t forget dessert!  I previously shared a recipe for , something I came up with for a pi day celebration a few years back.

Ingredients:

• 1 unbaked pie crust (homemade or store bought is fine)
• 3 eggs
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• ¾ cup whole milk
• 3 ounces Eastleigh Fresh Chive Cheese (you could substitute chive cream cheese, though it wouldn’t be exactly the same.  If you have the opportunity, it’s well-worth making the trip to the Westford Farmer’s Market to pick some up!)
• 6 slices of bacon (plus 3 additional slices if you’d like to make a pi on top of the quiche)
• ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Place pie crust in a pie plate.  Press firmly down on the bottom and sides, and crimp around the edges, folding under any excess crust.  Use a fork to poke many holes in the bottom of the crust.  Bake the empty pie crust for 7 minutes, until it is very lightly browned.  Remove from the oven and set aside.
3. Reduce the oven to 375 degrees.
4. Cook bacon until crispy.  Set aside.
5. In a medium bowl, mix together the eggs, heavy cream, whole milk, Eastleigh Fresh chive cheese, and salt and pepper until well blended.
6. Crumble six slices of bacon into the bottom of the pie crust.  Sprinkle ½ cup of shredded cheddar over the bacon.  Pour the egg mixture over the bacon and cheddar.
7. Protect the edges of the pie crust with aluminum foil or a pie crust shield.  Don’t skip this step—the edges of the pie crust will get too dark unless you cover them!
8. Bake for approximately 45 minutes, until the top is lightly browned and the center is set.
9. If desired, use an additional three pieces of cooked bacon to write the greek letter pi. Gently press the bacon onto the top of the quiche immediately after you take it out of the oven.