Quiche Lorraine

Ingredients

• 175g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 85g chilled butter, cut into cubes
• 175g rindless bacon, cut into pieces
• 1 onion, peeled and diced
• 125g gruyere cheese, grated
• 2 large eggs
• 1 egg yolk
• 250ml cream
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Method

• To make the pastry, place the flour into a large bowl. Add the butter and using your fingertips, gently rub into the flour to create fine breadcrumbs. Add 3 Tblsps of cold water and mix manually until the pastry dough comes together. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and gently place into a 20cm loose bottomed pie tin. Press softly into the sides being careful not to stretch the dough. Chill for 30 minutes.
• Preheat your Belling oven to 220°C in a conventional function, or 200°C fanned. Prick the pastry case all over with a fork, to prevent air bubbles to form during baking. Over the pastry, place a piece of baking paper and weigh it down with beans, pebbles or other ovenproof material.
• Bake the base for 10 minutes. Remove the beans and paper and bake the emptied base for further 10 minutes, or until it acquires a lightly brown colour. Trim the overhanging pastry.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 180°C (160°C in a fanned function).
• Crisp the bacon in a sauteeing pan over medium heat for 10 minutes. Transfer to the cooled pastry case with a slotted spoon, trying to leave as much of the juices in the pan.
• Place the onion in the pan and cook over medium heat for 8 minutes or until soft. Add to the pastry shell and top with the cheese.
• In a bowl, combine the remaining ingredients, strain through a sieve and pour into the pastry case.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden and just set. Be careful not to overcook the quiche or the filling will become tough and full of holes.

TIP: You can add mushrooms or wilted spinach to the quiche, but make sure not to use fillings that are too wet. For example, make sure to squeeze cooked spinach or sauteed mushrooms, to get as much remaining water out as possible.

Serves 6-8

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 50 minutes

This recipe and 11 more were cooked all at once in a Belling Richmond Deluxe Range Cooker. Check to see how we did it.