By December 2022. Winter in Memphis, 64 years old, and the cold has settled into the house on Deadrick Avenue the way cold settles into old bones — persistently, without malice, just the physics of aging and December. Rosetta has the thermostat set at 74, our eternal compromise, and I cook warming things: stews and soups and slow-braised meats that fill the house with steam and flavor.
Walter Jr. came by with the grandchildren, bringing the noise and energy that grandchildren bring, the house expanding to hold them the way a good pot expands to hold a good stew. Trey at the smoker, learning, absorbing, his hands getting steadier each visit, the fire recognizing him the way fire recognizes those who are meant to tend it.
I experimented this week — smoked pork belly burnt ends, cubed and re-smoked with sauce and butter until they were sticky, caramelized, and indecent. The kind of food that makes Rosetta say "Earl, your arteries" and then eat three more pieces, because even nurses have limits, and the limit of smoked pork belly burnt ends has not yet been found by human science.
I sat in the lawn chair next to Uncle Clyde's smoker as the dark came on, and I thought about what I always think about: the chain. From Clyde to me. From me to Trey, maybe, or Jerome, or whoever comes next with the patience and the hands and the willingness to stand next to a fire at three in the morning and wait for something good to happen. The chain doesn't break. The fire doesn't stop. And I am here, 64 years old, in a lawn chair in Orange Mound, Memphis, Tennessee, watching the smoke rise, and the rising is the living, and the living is the gift.
Walter Jr. and the grandchildren have a way of clearing a kitchen out fast — all that noise and hunger moving through a house like weather. With the smoker going and my mind still on the chain of things passed down, I wanted something on the table that felt generous, something with a little smoke and spice to it, something that said you are welcome here without me having to say a word. This pepperoni and sausage deep-dish pizza quiche is exactly that — the heft of a proper deep-dish married to the comfort of eggs and cheese, loaded with the kind of sausage that reminds you why you keep the fire going in the first place.
Pepperoni and Sausage Deep-Dish Pizza Quiche
Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 50 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes | Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 1 refrigerated or homemade deep-dish pie crust (9-inch)
- 1/2 lb Italian sausage links, casings removed and crumbled
- 1/2 cup sliced pepperoni, roughly chopped
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup pizza sauce or marinara
- 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
- 1/4 cup diced yellow onion
- 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat and prep the crust. Preheat your oven to 375°F. Press the pie crust into a deep 9-inch pie dish or cast-iron skillet, crimping the edges. Line with parchment paper, add pie weights or dried beans, and blind bake for 10 minutes. Remove weights and bake 5 minutes more. Set aside.
- Cook the sausage and vegetables. In a skillet over medium heat, cook the crumbled sausage until browned through, about 6–8 minutes. Add the diced onion and bell pepper and cook 3 more minutes until softened. Drain any excess fat. Stir in the chopped pepperoni and cook 1 minute more. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- Layer the base. Spread the pizza sauce evenly over the bottom of the pre-baked crust. Sprinkle half the mozzarella over the sauce, then spoon the sausage and pepperoni mixture evenly over the cheese.
- Make the egg custard. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, heavy cream, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper until smooth and fully combined.
- Fill and top. Pour the egg custard slowly over the sausage filling, allowing it to settle evenly. Top with the remaining mozzarella and all of the Parmesan cheese.
- Bake. Place the quiche on a baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake at 375°F for 35–40 minutes, or until the center is set and no longer jiggles and the top is golden brown. If the crust edges brown too quickly, cover them with foil.
- Rest and serve. Let the quiche rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm, cut into wedges.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 420 | Protein: 18g | Fat: 28g | Carbs: 22g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 720mg