Lunch: Sausage and Red Bell Pepper Quiche

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Ingredients

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
1 tablespoon cold vegetable shortening
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 pound hot or sweet Italian sausage, casings discarded and the meat chopped
2 red bell peppers, minced (about 1 1/4 cups)
1/4 cup grated Cheddar
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
2 large eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons milk

Instructions

In a bowl blend together the flour, the butter, the shortening, and a pinch of salt until the mixture resembles meal, add 1 1/2 tablespoons ice water, and toss the mixture until the water is incorporated, adding more water if necessary to form the dough into a ball. Pat the dough into 7 1/2-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.
While the shell is baking, in a large skillet cook the sausage with the bell peppers, covered, over moderately high heat, stirring and breaking up any lumps, for 7 minutes, or until the sausage is no longer pink and the bell peppers are soft, and drain the mixture, discarding the excess fat. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, stir in the remaining salt, the Cheddar, and the Parmesan, and spread the mixture in the bottom of the shell. 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.

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