Quiche Lorraine with Shortcrust Pastry

Quiche Lorraine with Shortcrust Pastry

The French don't really have pies like the British but they do have quiche! The combination of eggs and milk with tasty fillings, all encased in melt in the mouth pastry, is one of my favouite comfort foods.

It's so easy to buy a ready made quiche in the shops, but there is nothing better than the smell of cheese and pastry when you are making your own. I've included step by step instructions on making your own shortcrust pastry and 'baking it blind' and plenty of ideas for filling variations.

What are the Ingredients?

For the pastry you will need plain or all purpose flour, butter and lard. If you prefer you can use just butter. but the lard helps the pastry to be soft and melting.

I've used milk and eggs to bind the filling together but often recipes ask for single cream. Having lived in France, I hardly ever used cream, as it's always UHT, so  I always make it with semi-skimmed milk and it still tastes creamy.

A traditional Quiche Lorraine uses smoked bacon lardons but I prefer to use sliced smoked back bacon cut into small pieces as it makes the quiche easier to cut. I've added in grated Gruyère and chopped spring onions for extra flavour.

How to make shortcrust pastry from scratch

I always make shortcrust pastry in the food processor, but if you don't have one you can use the rubbing in method.

Start by cutting very cold butter and lard into small cubes and put in a large glass bowl with the salt and flour. Gently rub the butter with the flour with your finger tips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. If you prefer you can use a fork or a pastry cutter to get the same effect.

If you have a food processor simply tip the ingredients into the bowl attach the lid and pulse the mixture three or four times until it gets to the breadcrumb stage. Next add two tablespoons of cold water and pulse twice.

At this stage I check the dough with my fingers to see if it sticks together when pressed. You might need to add another tablespoon or more depending on the atmosphere and the dryness of the flour.

Turn the processor on full and within a few seconds the mixture should come together into a ball.

Form it into a flat round shape with floured hands.

You can use a loose bottomed flan dish but I prefer to use a 22cm loose bottom cake tin. This gives a deeper quiche.

Lightly flour the work surface and roll out into a circle to cover the bottom and sides of the tin. Trim the edges flush with top of the tin and fork the bottom of the pastry.

Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

How to bake blind

• When you have a wet filling in a large pastry case it helps to bake the pastry blind first before adding the filling. This makes sure that you get a crisp pastry base.
• Preheat the oven to 200C. Take a square of baking parchment 30cm square and fold into quarters then fold again through the middle. Hold the fold to the middle of the tin and trim off the outside edge of the paper. You will be left with a circle that lines the  pastry to protect it from getting burnt.
• Add some ceramic baking beans to the paper. This will stop the pastry from rising up and the paper from moving. If you don't have ceramic beans then use any dried beans or rice and keep them separate for this purpose.

• Cook on a baking tin for 15 minutes. Carefully peel back the paper. If the pastry is set then remove the beans and return to the oven for 5 more minutes.
• Remove from the oven and reduce the heat down to 180 C.

How to make the Quiche Lorraine filling

• Heat a frying pan over a medium heat and add the bacon for a few minutes until cooked through. Drain on kitchen paper.
• Grate the cheese and slice the spring onions.
• Whisk the eggs and milk together and season with salt and pepper.
• Scatter the bacon and cheese over the pastry base and top qith the onions
• Pour over the egg mixture and sprinkle the parsley over the top.
• Bake for about 30 minutes until well risen and golden.

Quiche variations

Besides Quiche Lorraine there are lots of quiche variations. Try 100g poached salmon, broken into pieces and 100g of chopped broccoli. You could also try cooked shredded chicken and sweetcorn, sliced softened onions and sliced tomato, softened leeks with thyme or just chopped peppers or mushrooms. The list is endless

If you can't get Gruyère cheese use mature cheddar or Emmenthal.

How to store Quiche Lorraine

Store in the fridge for up to 3 days and enjoy hot or cold or freeze in portions. If freezing, defrost thoroughly and reheat in the oven on a metal dish covered with foil.

What to serve with Quiche Lorraine

Salads go so well with a Quiche Lorraine. Why not try the classic Carrot and Celeriac Remoulade?

Other dishes

You might also like:

• Eggs Baked in Potatoes
• Vegetable Mozzarella Tart
• Roasted Sweet Potato and Goat Cheese Tart
• Goat Cheese and Caramelised Onion Tart
• Simple Stromboli
• Salmon and Asparagus Puff Pastry Parcels
• French Buckwheat Galettes
• French Yorkie Scramble
• Duck Spring Rolls

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