Makes one 9-inch pie, 6 to 8 slices

Crust:
1 recipe Traditional Pastry Piecrust dough for a 9-inch single-crust pie
¼ cup heavy cream (to glaze the crimped pie edges)

Filling:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (or 2 tablespoons vegetable oil)
1 cup chopped onions
¾ pound Italian sausage (about 4 links)
¾ cup thin provolone cheese slices
⅛ cup chopped fresh parsley
3 large eggs
1½ cups half-and-half
¾ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Method:
Preheat the oven to 400°F.

To prepare the pie shell, on a clean, lightly floured work surface, roll out half a ball of dough with a rolling pin until it forms a 10-inch circle. Wrap the remaining half of the dough tightly in plastic wrap and reserve it in the refrigerator for future use for up to 5 days.

Fold the circle in half, place it in a 9-inch pie plate so that the edges of the circle drop over the rim, and unfold the dough to completely cover the pie plate.
Brush the edges of the pie shell with heavy cream to create a perfect, golden brown finish. Keep the pie shell close by, as you will add ingredients one at a time.
To prepare the filling, melt the butter in a medium skillet over high heat. Add the onions and sauté until they achieve a golden brown color, approximately 5 minutes.
Spread the sautéed onions across the bottom of the pie shell.

Remove the outer skin from the sausage by lightly cutting each sausage down the middle and then peeling off the casing. Place the sausages in a baking sheet and bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until they are thoroughly cooked.

When you have finished cooking the sausages, increase heat to 425°F to let the oven preheat for the pie. Let the sausages cool, and then cut them into ½-inch pieces. Evenly distribute the sausages over the onions.

Cover the sausages with a layer of evenly distributed provolone slices. Sprinkle the parsley over the provolone layer.

In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, combine the eggs, half-and-half, salt, and pepper. Pour the egg mixture into the pie shell, covering the onions, sausages, provolone, and parsley.

To bake, place the pie plate on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350°F, and continue baking for 40 minutes, or until the quiche is firm in the middle.

Transfer the pie plate to a wire cooling rack and allow the quiche to cool and set for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Cooked Sausage and Provolone Quiche can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. An uncooked quiche can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months. To optimally keep quiche, put it in the freezer uncovered and let it freeze on a flat surface.

Once the quiche has frozen, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and return it to the freezer.

Sausage and Provolone Quiche