Ingredients

• 1 unbaked pastry shell
• 3/4 cup dried tomatoes (home-dried, not in oil)
• Boiling water
• 1 T. olive oil
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 1/2 cups chopped spinach
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 1/2 cups grated Gruyere cheese
• 5 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper

Preparation
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Fit pastry shell into a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan.  Prick the crust all over with a fork and bake the crust for 10 minutes. (Alternatively, you can line the crust with parchment paper and weight it with dry beans.)  Remove the crust, and turn the oven down to 325 degrees F.

Meanwhile, cut dried tomatoes into bite-sized pieces with kitchen shears.  Pour boiling water over the dried tomatoes to cover and let sit for 10 minutes. Drain.

Warm the olive oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat.  Add onion and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the drained tomatoes, chopped spinach, garlic, basil and thyme.  Cook an additional 2 minutes, or until spinach wilts.

Place mixture evenly in the bottom of the partially baked pastry shell. Cover filling with cheese.

Whisk together eggs, half-and-half, salt and pepper in a large bowl.  Pour the mixture gently over the filling and cheese.  Place the quiche on a baking sheet. Bake for about 40 minutes or until eggs are set (quiche may jiggle a little in the middle). Serve warm or at room temperature.

<>