1. Preheat the Oven:

• Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).

2. Prepare the Hash Brown Crust:

• Grease a 9-inch springform pan or pie dish. Line it with parchment paper cut to size, including the sides. Grease it again, lightly.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the thawed hash browns, melted butter, egg, salt, and pepper.
• Press the hash brown mixture evenly into the bottom and up the sides of the pan to form a crust.
• Bake the crust in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until it becomes golden brown and slightly crispy.

3. Prepare the Quiche Filling:

• Meanwhile, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and nutmeg, if desired in a bowl. Set aside.
• In a skillet, sauté the diced bell peppers, onion, and minced garlic until they soften, about 6-8 minutes. Add the baby spinach and cook until it wilts, then remove from heat.
• Remove the quiche from the oven. Sprinkle half of the shredded Gruyere cheese evenly over the baked hash brown crust.
• Add the crumbled bacon (or ham) evenly over the cheese. Add the sauteed peppers and onions.
• Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables and bacon.
• Sprinkle the remaining Gruyere cheese on top.

4. Bake the Quiche:

• Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C).
• Place the springform pan on a baking sheet (to catch any potential spills) and bake the quiche for 35-40 minutes, or until the center is set and the top is golden brown. You can check for doneness by inserting a knife or toothpick into the center – it should come out clean.

5. Cool and Serve:

• Allow the quiche to cool before removing it from the pan.
• Garnish with fresh herbs like parsley or chives, sour cream, salsa, avocado slices, crumbled feta if desired.