Smoked provolone, bacon and egg picnic pie

Vanessa Lewis

Smoked provolone is an Italian melting cheese that adds that little bit of magic to this simple bacon and egg pie. The smokiness of the cheese takes it to another level.

Serve this pie with my market tomato salad with a summer ginger and lime dressing

Ingredients

2 sheets	Butter puff pastry
1 large	Onion
2 Tbsp	Olive oil
6	Bacon rashers, choose a good quality one (Main)
6	Eggs
½ cup	Cream
1 cup	Smoked provolone cheese, grated, see Simon's tips below (Main)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 200C.
2. Grease a 13x36 cm (or a 20x28cm) tart tin. Line the bottom of the tart tin with two-thirds of the pastry and place in the fridge while you prepare the filling.
3. Slice the onion finely and cook gently in the olive oil until soft and translucent.
4. Slice the bacon into 1cm slices.
5. Break the eggs into a bowl; add the cream, whisk till combined.
6. Take the tart tin from the fridge, spread the cooked onion onto the base, then the bacon and grated cheese.
7. Gently pour the egg mixture into the pie (reserving about a tablespoon of the mix to use as an egg wash) and season with salt and pepper. Top with the remainder of the pastry.
8. Brush the remaining egg wash over the top of the pie.
9. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown and the filling is set.

Simon's 'five percent magic' tips

• If you make the effort to find the smoked provolone cheese, you'll be rewarded. You can buy online too atsouschefor, if all else fails, use another type of smoked cheese. There are others available in supermarkets.
• Make sure when you're buying the bacon, check that it doesn't have sugar or water added. It's okay to have a little honey as it adds flavour.