Quiche Lorraine
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Preparation time: 60 minutes plus 2 hours waiting time
Cooking time: 80 minutes
Serves: 8 people
For Pastry
- 280g/9.9ozs plain all purpose flour
- 225g/8ozs butter, cold and cubed
- 140g/4.9ozs cream cheese
For Filling
- 350g/12.3ozs bacon cubes or lardons
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 200g/7ozs white or brown onion, diced
- 600ml/21flozs double cream (56% milk fat)
- 65g/2.3ozs finely grated parmesan cheese
- 3 large eggs
- 4 egg yolks
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
Step 1 - Grease a 25cm diameter x 5.5cms high/9.8inch diameter x2 high inch tart dish with a removable base. I usually line the base with parchment just in case unless it's a new tin.
Step 2 -Place the flour and butter in a food processor and pulse until you get a fine, sandy texture. You can also do this by hand by rubbing together the butter into the flour or using a pastry cutter. Add in the cream cheese and pulse until it starts to form small balls. Knead on a table and shape into a ball. Cover with cling film and rest for 1 hour at room temperature. Roll out the pastry between two large sheets of parchment making sure that there is enough pastry to fit the tin and the sides and a little bit more. Gently place into the prepared tin and gently push down to the corners making sure to lift and not pull and tear the pastry.
Step 3 -Trim the pastry but have some hangover (as shown) and reserve a little uncooked pastry and store in a ziplock or container (this is to patch any gaps). Cover and refrigerate the pastry in tart tin for 1 hour. You can also chill overnight if you prefer.
Step 4 -Preheat oven to 180C/350F fan forced. Dock the pastry lightly with a fork and then cover with foil or parchment and add dried beans or ceramic beads. Bake for 15 minutes. Then remove the foil and bread and bake for 10 minutes until the centre is baked. Let it cool for 10 minute and then with a sharp, serrated knife, trim off the excess pastry so that it sits flush against the top of the tin. If there are any gaps, patch them with the reserved pastry.
Step 5 -To make the filling place a frying pan on medium high heat and add the bacon and cook for 5-6 minutes and the place in a bowl. Then add a bit of oil and sauté the onion on medium heat - you don't want the onion caramelising but you want both the onion cooked through. In a large bowl whisk the cream with the eggs and yolks to loosen the thick cream and then mix in the salt, parmesan cheese and cooked onion. Add in most of the bacon reserving about 1/3 cup to add on top later.
Step 6 -Lower oven temperature to 150C/300F fan forced. Pour the creamy bacon filling into the cooked tart case and gently slide it into the oven (I also place the quiche tin on another tray in case to avoid drips in the oven). Bake for 25 minutes, then rotate in oven and bake for another 15 minutes. Then scatter the remaining bacon cubes on top and bake for another 5-10 minutes or until the centre is slightly wobbly but set. Serve hot, warm or cold.