Quiche Lorraine

Recipe for: QUICHE LORRAINE (and variations)

Ingredients:

• For the pastry:
• 60g butter, fridge-cold, cut into small dice
• 100g plain flour
• Pinch salt
• 1-2 tblsp iced water
• 1 egg yolk
• A little beaten egg
• For the filling:
• 8-10 thin rashers of rindless, smoked, streaky bacon, cut into 1cm pieces
• 200g cream cheese
• 3 egg yolks
• 3 whole eggs, beaten
• 400ml whipping cream (or use less cream & more milk/ eggs)
• Salt & pepper
• A little grated parmesan and/ or cheddar (for the topping)
• Optional other fillings (add or substitute):
• Grated cheese (of any type)
• Ham (in cubes or strips)
• Mushrooms, sliced & lightly sautéed
• Onions, sliced & lightly sautéed
• Herbs (of any type except rosemary, which does not cook easily)

 Method:

1. make the pastry: put the flour, salt  butter in a bowl and mix with your fingertips until you have a coarse breadcrumb mixture
2. add the egg yolk & water, mixing in with a knife or your fingers
3. chill in the fridge for an hour before rolling out on a well-floured surface
4. heat the oven to 180C/ fan 160C/ 350F/ gas 4
5. lightly grease a 20cm flan dish
6. roll out the pastry thinly & line the prepared flan dish
7. cover the pastry with foil or grease-proof, then fill with baking beans and bake blind for 15-20 minutes
8. remove the beans & foil/ paper, then brush the part-baked pastry with beaten egg (this will form a seal & prevent leaks)
9. return the flan dish to the oven & cook for another 10 minutes until the pastry is golden & crisp
10. lower the heat to 170C/ fan 150C/ 325F/ gas 3
11. meanwhile, make the filling
12. fry the bacon in a dry, non-stick pan & render the fat until the bacon is crisp
13. drain the bacon on kitchen paper
14. in a bowl, whisk the cheese with the egg yolks & whole eggs.
15. stir in the cream & season with salt & pepper
16. assemble the quiche:  spread the bacon evenly in the pastry case, then carefully pour over the cheese/ egg mixture
17. sprinkle a little grated cheese & salt & pepper over the top
18. bake in the oven for 30 to 50 minutes, depending on the depth & combination of fillings, until the top is golden brown & the custard has set

 What else you need to know:

1. best served warm, rather than hot or cold, with salad & salsa/ pickles