Canadian Bacon & Sun Dried Tomato Quiche

For the Pastry Shell:
Use your favorite home made or frozen pie dough
1 egg well beaten with a few tablespoons of water and 1/2 teaspoon of sugar
Aluminum foil and beans or pie weights

For the Quiche:
3/4 cup Rose Canadian Bacon cut into chunks (cut up slices can be used if stick type is not available)
1 1/2 oz Sun Dried Tomatoes chopped into small pieces
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped spinach leaves
1 clove garlic finely minced
3 Tblsp red wine vinegar
4 eggs
1 Tblsp all purpose flour
1 cup Half & Half
1 cup shredded Swiss or Gruyere Cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
1/2 tsp salt
Fresh ground black pepper
Cayenne pepper

Roll out the pie dough on a floured surface to about 13 inches in diameter. It should be about 1/8 inch thick. Lightly press into a 9 inch pie plate or Quiche pan and trim excess. Pierce the bottom of the dough with a fork in several places. Place in refrigerator to rest for at least 20 minutes. PreHeat oven to 450 degrees.

Line the dough with aluminum foil. Add the beans or pie weights and bake for about 8 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and weights, brush with the egg wash and continue baking for about 4 or 5 more mintes. Do not let pastry get browned. Remove the pastry from the oven and allow to cool slightly while assembling the filling. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.

Place the garlic in a small saucepan along with the wine vinegar and tomatoes and cook over medium heat till tomatoes soften. About 4 or 5 minutes. While tomatoes are cooking, lightly beat the eggs, add the flour and half & half. Mix well. Stir in the cheeses, Canadian Bacon pieces and spinach. Remove the softened tomatoes from the liquid, drain slightly and stir into the filling. Add the salt, a few grinds of black pepper and a dash of cayenne pepper. Pour the filling into the pastry shell - it will come to within 1/4 inch of the top. Bake the quiche in the top 1/3 of the oven for about 45 minutes or until filling is set and top is slightly browned.

Hint: If crust starts to get too brown before filling is set - place a strip of aluminum foil around the edges to protect. Quiche is delicious warm or cold.

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