Potato Crusted Quiche

This is another one of my tried and true recipes from Cuisine At Home...love that mag! 

The filling can be adjusted to just about anything and it doesnt take long to come together.  I've also made this quiche semi-vegan with just roasted vegetables and cheese.  The thing that I love about this recipe is that it doesnt use a pie crust; I don't like pie crust with my quiche! WIN!

Potato Crusted Quiche

Adapted from Cuisine At Home Magazine

What you need:

• 3T butter, divided
• 1/2 lb bulk Italian sausage (I've used regular breakfast sausage)
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• A clove or two of garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup jarred roasted red bell pepper, drained and chopped
• 2 T vegetable oil
• 1 pkg (1 lb, 4 oz) fresh hash brown potato shreds
• 1 1/2 cups fontina or Swiss cheese, shredded (I've used various cheese mixtures)
• 6 eggs
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 dashes hot sauce (or to taste)
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, (or whatever cheese mixture you like)

What to do:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees
• Melt 1 T butter in a 10" oven proof nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add sausage to brown for 3 minutes. Stir in onion and garlic and saute 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl with the bell pepper, stir to combine
• Return skillet to the burner and add 1 T butter and the oil.  Arrange hash browns in pan, pressing and spreading them up the sides to form a crust. Season with salt and pepper, then dot with 1 T butter
• Cook 10 minutes, or until edges start to brown 
• Sprinkle fontina or Swiss cheese over potato shell. Spoon sausage mixture over cheese.
• Whisk eggs, cream, hot sauce, salt and pepper to taste, pour over the sausage and cheese.
• Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. 
• Bake for 30 minutes or until center is firm and the tip of a knife comes out clean.
• Let stand 5 minutes, then run spatula around the rim to loosen the quiche. Slide it onto a serving dish and cut into wedges.