Sausage and Carmelized Onion Quiche

Perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Spicy sausage, sweet caramelized onions, and creamy blue cheese get combined with fluffy eggs and baked to perfection.

Ingredients:

Crust:

 5 medium white or red russet potatoes, peeled

 4 Tbsp canola or sunflower oil

 1 Tbsp butter

 Salt and pepper

Filling:

 1 pound ground sausage

 1 Tbsp canola or sunflower oil

 1 Tbsp butter

 3 large onions, sliced

 Salt and pepper

 8 eggs

 3/4 cup half and half or ‘milk product’ of your choice

 1 cup crumbled blue cheese

Method:

 Preheat oven to 350°F.

 Grate the peeled potatoes and add them to a large bowl. Cover the potatoes with cold water and allow them to soak for 10-15 minutes.

 While the potatoes are soaking, heat a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook until brown, breaking up the meat as you go, about 8-10 minutes. Remove the sausage from the pan and set aside.

 Add 1 tablespoon of oil and 1 tablespoon of butter to the same pan. Turn the heat down to medium low and add the sliced onions. Add a generous pinch of salt and pepper to the onions and stir to combine. Continue to cook until the onions are amber in color and caramelized, stirring often, about 35-40 minutes. If the onions begin to over-brown, turn the heat down to low. Remove the onions from the pan and set aside (feel free to add them to the same bowl as the sausage).

 While the onions are cooking, drain and rinse the grated potatoes. Press down on the potatoes to remove as much of the water as possible. Transfer the potatoes to a clean tea towel. Pat them dry with paper towels.

 Add 4 tablespoons of oil and 1 tablespoon of butter to the same pan. Turn up the heat to medium-high and add the grated potatoes. Season with salt and pepper; stir to combine.

 Press the potatoes into an even layer in the bottom of the pan. Cook for 8-10 minutes, or until crispy and golden brown.

 Using a thin metal spatula, lift up on the bottom of the hash brown to release them from the pan. Flip and cook on the other side for 8-10 more minutes. It’s okay if the hash brown doesn’t flip perfectly; just arrange it back in the pan and continue to cook.

 While the hash brown continues to get crispy, add the eggs and half and half to a large bowl; whisk to combine.

 Gently season with salt and pepper. (I use the term gently because the recipe calls for salty blue cheese).

 Turn off the heat. Arrange the sausage and onions evenly over the hash brown. Sprinkle the crumbled blue cheese over the top, and then pour the eggs over the entire mixture.

 Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the eggs are cooked through and the center is set

Notes and Options:

If you don’t have a cast iron pan, use a large, heavy frying pan before transferring the mixture into a suitable baking dish.

Shallots could be substituted for the onions but the flavor will be more mild.

Instead of half and half, I have had success using yogurt or another thicker plant-based product. Coconut milk might be too sweet, but it’s the right consistency.

For flipping the potato layer, after you release it with a thin spatula, top the pan with a plate that is larger than the top of the frying pan and then flip. Carefully slide the potatoes back into the pan to continue cooking the other side.

Patience is a key to a crispy potato layer. Make yourself wait until it is a nice brown.

If blue cheese is not your thing, substitute another cheese, such as a stronger cheddar.