Pie with arugula, bacon, and onion

First, let's make the dough for the pie. It is made in several steps and is chilled in the refrigerator in between. We will make a savory shortcrust pastry. For this, you will need an electric mixer, either a handheld or a stand mixer, or a food processor. So, sift the flour with a pinch of salt into a large bowl, the bowl of a food processor, or the mixing bowl of a mixer.

Measure out the water (4 tablespoons) and put it in the freezer. Separate the egg yolk from the egg white and place it in the refrigerator.

Cut the cold butter into cubes and add it to the flour. Then, you need to remove the bowl with the contents to the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes (if you have the time and space in the refrigerator, if not, you can immediately start kneading the dough).

Start by making the dough. Using a food processor or mixer on high speed, blend the flour with cold butter until it resembles fine crumbs.

Next, add the egg yolk and 2 tbsp of water and mix again. If the dough doesn't come together (remains dry), add another 2 tbsp of water. In the food processor, the dough should start to gather around the blade, while in the mixer, it forms large clumps (as shown in the photo).

Transfer the dough onto a work surface and gently knead it until smooth. Avoid working with the dough for too long as it can cause the butter to melt from the warmth of your hands.

Then, lightly roll out the dough between two sheets of parchment paper dusted with flour. This step is done to make it easier to roll out the dough to the desired thickness after chilling. Place the dough in the refrigerator for an hour.

After an hour, roll out the dough to the desired thickness (2-3 mm). Then, using the parchment paper, transfer the dough into a pie dish, allowing it to settle a bit. Press firmly with your hands across the surface and edges of the dish.

Trim any excess dough with a knife or rolling pin. Then, prick the dough all over with a fork to prevent bubbles from forming during baking.

Next, line the baking pan with parchment paper (if you have heat-resistant food film, use it). It's best to crumple the paper beforehand, as it will better conform to the shape of the pan. Place a weight on top of the paper, such as special beads, dried beans, or rice. The smaller the weight, the more even the baked crust will be. Place the pan with the dough and weight in the refrigerator for an hour. Then, preheat the oven to 170°C and bake the crust with the weight for 15 minutes. Remove the rice and paper and continue baking for another 10 minutes.

While the crust is baking, you can prepare the filling. Cut the bacon into small strips and fry over medium heat for 5 minutes (use a larger skillet, as you will also need to fry the arugula in it).

Transfer the bacon to a paper towel using a slotted spoon. Do not wash the skillet!

Thinly slice the onion into half circles and sauté on the same skillet until softened, about 5-7 minutes.

Next, add arugula to the onion.

Stir and wait until the arugula thickens, which will take approximately 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat.

To make the filling for the pie, grate the cheese and mix together with eggs, cheese, cream, salt, and pepper.

After baking, let the finished base cool slightly for 10-15 minutes.

I like to make a pie with distinct layers. If you prefer a uniform filling, mix together arugula, bacon, and the filling, then evenly distribute the resulting filling on the pie base. To create layered filling, first place a layer of arugula on the finished base.

Then place the bacon on top.

Next, pour the cream mixture over everything.

Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 35 minutes. The filling will rise and may crack slightly around the edges, but that's okay. This happens because of the steam formed by the baking of the green layer. After baking, let the pie stand for 10 minutes, then it can be served immediately.