Quiche Lorraine... a neglected classic.
One thing about me is I love food, eating it,
making it, looking at it and I can spend an hour on the phone to my Dad talking about it...we both have a passion for cooking. Some think it’s sad but who cares, it’s something I love!
So as it’s the start of a New Year, I thought what better way to begin, let’s make a recipe I’ve never made before.
My Mum shared this recipe with me a while back and when she made it I thought it was delish!
Now quiche usually in my opinion isnt appreciated enough, a classic at the buffet table but often neglected outside of a celebratory feast or during summer with a salad, so I thought I would give this one a make. My kids like quiche so what’s to lose!
Normally bad at making pastry due to my never ending tropical moments resulting in hot hands, I decided to put Betty (my food mixer) and her dough hook to good use.
The pastry came out really well and I actually managed to fill the pastry case without having to fill in holes like I usually do.
Once the pastry was blind baked, it was adorned with lashings of softened onions and maple cured bacon, followed by a layer of grated gruyère cheese and crème fraîche, double cream and whisked eggs.
Popped back in Oliver (my oven) and It was transformed into a thing of beauty.
Recipe
For the filling
1 onion finely sliced
1 pack of bacon (I used maple cured) cut into small pieces
200ml créme fraîche
300ml double cream
3 eggs
75g grated gruyére cheese
1tbsp olive oil
salt & white pepper for seasoning
For the pastry
150g cold butter (from fridge) cut into cubes
250g plain flour, plus dusting
1 large beaten egg
You will need:
Rolling pin
Baking beads (or rice or lentils as a replacement)
23cm loose bottomed tart tin
How to
In a food processor mix flour and butter until it has a breadcrumb like texture, then add the egg and mix until you get a formed dough ball.
Roll out the pastry on a floured surface until it’s big enough to fit your tart case and to about the thickness of a pound coin.
Once the tart case is ready pop it in the fridge to chill for about 20-30 minutes.
Heat the oven to 180c (fan)
Whilst the pastry is chilling in a frying pan you want to lightly fry the onions and bacon, so the onions aren’t too crunchy and have a nice colour. Once ready set aside to cool.
For the filling you want to lightly whisk the cream, créme fraîche and the eggs together, I popped another grind of pepper in just for good measure.
To blind bake the pastry, remove from fridge, pop some parchment in and fill with baking beads (rice or lentils if you don’t have them). Place the tart tin on a baking tray and bake for 25mins. once 25mins is up, remove the parchment and beads and bake for a further 5-10mins.
Once done turn oven down to 170c
Place the cooled onions and bacon over the bottom of the pastry case, grate the gruyére over the top and half fill with the beaten egg mixture.
Pull out the oven shelf and place tin on a baking tray in the oven and fill with remainder of the liquid. This way there is no spillage or accidents.
Let the magic work for 35-40mins, until there is no wobble and when you press on the centre no liquid appears.
Let cool in the tin for 10mins, or if you prefer it warm let it cool enough to eat and enjoy!
