I love quiche and this one was especially delicious. The gruyere and carmelized onions add a great depth of flavor and the buttery, spelt crust was amazing. Serve with a simple green salad for a healthy and satisfying dinner.

For the crust:

1 cup spelt flour (plus more for dusting & rolling) 1 stick butter, cold and cut into cubes 1/2 tsp salt 3 tbl ice water

For the filling:

6 large eggs, plus 1 egg yolk 1 1/2 cups whole milk 1/2 cup sliced gruyere 1/2 cup grated parmesan 1 large onion, sliced and carmelized 1 cup chopped spinach 1 to 2 tbl butter salt & pepper

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  To prepare the crust, add the flour and salt to a food processor and pulse to combine several times. Add the cubed, cold butter to the flour and pulse until the mix resembles coarse cornmeal. If you are doing this step manually, combine flour and salt in a bowl. Add the cold, cubed butter and with two sharp knives cut the butter into the flour using a criss-cross motion.

2. Move the mixture to a bowl and add the cold water. With your hands, work the dough until you form a ball. Place the bowl in the freezer to chill the dough for about 10 or 15 minutes (This step can be prepared up to a day in advance, just keep the dough in the refrigerator).

3. Slice the onion into rounds and add to a small saucepan with one to two tablespoons butter. Stir over medium-low heat until the onion is soft and just begins to carmelize. Remove from heat and set aside. Chop the spinach and prepare cheeses.

4. Remove the dough and place on a lightly floured counter. Roll out the dough, rotating and turning, adding flour as needed to prevent sticking. When you’ve rolled the dough until it is slightly larger than your pie pan, place it in the pan and press firmly all over. You can use pieces to repair any tears as necessary. Poke the dough with a fork several times (this will help prevent puffing) line the crust with parchment and fill with rice or beans (or pie weights if you have them). Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes.

5. Now prepare the filling: Whisk eggs and milk until combined in a large measuring cup or bowl. Add chopped spinach, parmesan, salt and pepper and whisk to combine several times. Set aside.

6. After the pie crust has pre-baked for 10 to 12 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees. Remove the crust from the oven, remove the parchment paper with the pie weights. Add the sliced gruyere and onion to the bottom of the crust. Slowly pour the filling into the pie crust. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until almost firm (it will still jiggle a little in the middle) and lightly brown on top. You can test to see if it’s cooked through by inserting a knife 1 inch from the center of the quiche, it should come out mostly clean. Cool for several minutes before serving or serve at room temperature.

Nutrition Nuggets

Eggs are packed full of nutrients, healthy fats and protein. They are pretty darn close to a perfect food. The best option is to eat pastured eggs — meaning eggs that come from chickens that are raised on open pasture and regularly eat grass, plants, bugs, grubs and whatever else they can find in the fields. Chickens are omnivores and the quality, taste (and health benefits) of their eggs is largely dependent on what they eat. Read more about eggs in my Civil Eats article.

Onionscontain sulfur compounds like allicin which have strong effects on boosting immunity. They also contain one of the highest amounts of quercetin of any food — a flavonoid which helps to calm allergies, reduces inflammation, and is also a powerful antioxidant providing protection against cancers and heart disease. Clinical studies have shown that onions lower blood pressure and prevent clot formation as well.

Speltis an ancient grain, a distant elder cousin of modern wheat. It is, in fact, one of the earliest crops grown in the Western world. As a grass-derived grain, spelt is the perfect substitute for white or whole wheat flour when baking. It is an excellent alternative for those allergic to wheat since it contains different forms of gluten than modern wheat. The type of gluten found in spelt is much more fragile than the gluten found in wheat which makes it much easier for the body to break down and digest. Spelt also provides double the amount of protein and fiber than is found in most common varieties of commercial wheat. It is an excellent source of complex carbohydrates as well as B vitamins and minerals.