Ham Mushroom Leek Quiche

SOAK THE DRIED MUSHROOMS

1. Place the dried mushrooms in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let the mushrooms soak in the hot liquid for 30 minutes to rehydrate. Remove from the water, gently squeeze out excess water and pat dry with paper towels. Roughly chop the mushrooms and set aside.

CLEAN THE LEEKS

1. Fill a medium bowl with water.
2. Trim the root and dark green tops of the leeks and save for vegetable stock. Slice the leek (white and pale green parts) in half lengthwise, then cut them into half inch pieces crosswise.
3. Add the leeks to the water and swish well with your hands to dislodge the dirt and grit that grows between the layers of the leeks.
4. Lift the leeks out of the water and transfer to a salad spinner. (Do not pour the leeks and water out together). Spin the leeks until they're dry. Set aside.

HEAT THE OVEN AND PREPARE THE CRUST:

1. Preheat the oven to 375° F.
2. Place the crust in a 9" pie plate and press the pastry gently to adhere to the bottom and sides of the dish. Keep crust refrigerated until ready to bake.

SAUTE THE INGREDIENTS:

1. Add the pancetta to a large nonstick skillet and cook over medium high heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally until the pancetta renders its fat and crisps up. Use a slotted spoon to drain excess fat off the pancetta and transfer it to a dish lined with paper towels.
2. Add the chunks of ham to the rendered pancetta fat (or add a drizzle of olive oil) and sauté the ham until it's crispy and fragrant, about 3-5 minutes. Transfer the ham to the plate with the pancetta.
3. Add the fresh mushrooms to the pan and cook until browned, stirring occasionally, 4-6 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to a separate bowl.
4. Add the olive oil to the skillet and heat over medium heat. Add the cleaned leeks and sweat them until they're tender and translucent, about 4-6 minutes.

ASSEMBLE THE EGG CUSTARD:

1. In a large bowl combine the eggs, salt, pepper, nutmeg, milk and half and half. Whisk to combine. Add the rehydrated mushrooms, pancetta, ham, sautéed mushrooms and leeks to the egg custard. Stir in the gruyere cheese.
2. Transfer the filling to the pie crust and use a spoon or spatula to spread the filling ingredients evenly in the shell.
3. Place the quiche in the oven and cover lightly with a large piece of tin foil to prevent the crust from burning. Bake for 55 minutes to 1 hour, then remove the foil. Continue to bake until the center of the quiche is set, about 15-20 minutes.
4. Remove the quiche from the oven and let rest for 10-15 minutes before cutting and serving.

FOR MAKE AHEAD QUICHE:

1. Cook the quiche until set (as described above) then let it rest until it comes to room temperature.
2. Cover and refrigerate the quiche until you're ready to serve. Remove the quiche from the fridge 30 minutes before reheating to take the chill off. Heat the oven to 300°F. Lay a piece of foil over the pie and reheat in the warm oven for 25-30 minutes until heated through. Serve.