BY CASSANDRA HAMMERSTONE
April 2024
Your expectations for this recipe are correct: there will be eggs and cheese and bacon without a pie crust in sight. Perhaps not what you were expecting: the filling is made with eggs and ricotta cheese, which means it has more in common with an Italian Easter Pie or Pizza Rustica -- the a savory meat and egg pie made in the last days of Lent and eaten in celebration on Easter Sunday -- than quiche.
I may only make Pizza Rustica once a year, mostly because it’s fairly complicated, but I can’t get away from how light and moist the combination of ricotta and egg is compared to the French alternative of shredded cheese and cream in a quiche. That's why I like to take the best of Pizza Rustica and combine it with my favorite fillings, such as bitter greens and bacon, and forgo the crust, making it easy to whip up this crustless ricotta quiche anytime.
Any variety of swiss chard will work in this recipe, as will kale and other hearty, bitter greens. Take care to remove the stems and most of the ribs, then rough chop into large pieces.
Dice four ounces of thick-cut bacon and cook over medium heat until the fat renders and the bacon becomes crisp. I find that the bacon cooks more evenly and is less likely to scorch when I start it in a cold pan and gradually bring it up to temperature. Scoop out the bacon and set it aside, leaving just about a tablespoon of bacon fat in the pan.
Sauté the shallots and garlic in the remaining bacon fat with a pinch of salt over medium heat for about two minutes, then add the greens with a pinch of salt and saute for another two minutes, or until they're just wilted.
Crack a dozen eggs and whisk with a half teaspoon of salt, then add in the ricotta cheese. Using a hand mixer, beat the eggs and ricotta together until the ricotta is fully incorporated and mixture is fluffy and smooth.
For this recipe, I will admit that I made my own ricotta cheese, which is easier than you might think. You need a gallon of milk, a lemon, cheesecloth and less than an hour of time. Must you make your own ricotta? Of course not. But if you want to do a fun kitchen experiment, you’ll end up with thick, creamy, velvety ricotta that will ruin you forever for the stuff you buy in the store. You can find my method here.
Spoon the greens into a 9x13 or six-cup baking dish. Scatter the bacon evenly on top of the greens and pour in the eggs. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes at 350°, or until the center is set.
For this recipe, I will admit that I made my own ricotta cheese, which is easier than you might think. You need a gallon of milk, a lemon, cheesecloth and less than an hour of time.
crustless ricotta quiche with bacon and swiss chard
Season: Any
Serves: 6-8
ingredients
4 oz thick-cut bacon, diced
4 cups of red or swiss chard, ribs and stems removed and roughly chopped
1 tbsp garlic, minced
1 large shallot, sliced
12 eggs
2 cups whole milk ricotta
½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 350°.
Cook the bacon in a large sauté pan over medium heat until the fat renders and the bacon is crisp. Remove the bacon and set aside. Drain all but one tablespoon of the fat from the pan.
Sauté the shallots and garlic in the remaining bacon fat with a pinch of salt over medium heat for about two minutes, then add the greens with a pinch of salt and saute for another two minutes, or until they're just wilted.
Beat the eggs together with the ricotta cheese and a half teaspoon of salt.
Layer the greens mixture in a 9x13 or six-cup baking dish. Pour the eggs over the greens and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the eggs are puffed and set in the middle. Let sit to cool for at least 10 minutes, then serve warm or at room temperature.
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