Quiche with Caramelized Onions and Cheese

I made this for Easter brunch with local eggs, milk, cream, cheese and onions. The secret is in taking a nice long time to caramelize the onions. If you like, make extra and keep them in the fridge for up to a week or so to use with other dishes. Quiche is best made with whole milk, if not cream or half-and-half, but you can use 1% or 2% if you like - the texture won't be as rich and custardy, but it will be passable.

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 very large onion or 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
1 9-inch deep dish pie crust (I use Mark Bittman's recipe)
2-3 oz. Edam, Gouda, or Swiss (shredded), or goat cheese (crumbled)
5 large eggs
1/2 cup cream (optional)
1 1/4 cup whole milk, or 1 3/4 cup if not using cream
1 tsp salt
Black pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet, then add the onions. Saute over low-medium heat for about an hour, stirring periodically and loosely covering in between, until the onions turn a nice golden brown color and are extremely soft. If you have time, keep cooking them over low heat until they turn a deeper shade of brown.

While the onions cook, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Prick the pastry shell all over with a fork. Take a piece of foil big enough to cover the bottom of the pie shell and come up the sides partway; butter one side of it. Press it firmly down into the pie shell, buttered side down, then add pie weights. Place it in the freezer for 10-15 minutes (or longer) to get nice and firm. Bake for 12 minutes, then remove from the oven and turn the heat down to 325 degrees. Remove the foil and pie weights.

While the pie shell pre-bakes, beat the eggs in a large bowl, then add the cream (if using) and milk and mix well. Stir in the salt and pepper.

When the onions and the pie shell are both ready, spread the cheese in the bottom of the pie shell. Add the onions in a layer over the cheese, then pour in the egg and milk mixture.

If you like, place the quiche on a baking sheet in case of spills, and to make it easier to get into the oven. Bake for 40-50 minutes, until the eggs are cooked through; when done, the quiche should still jiggle a bit in the center. Let cool for 10 minutes (or longer) to set up a bit more, then serve warm or room temperature.

Serves about 4.