Quiche Lorraine

Pastry:

80g Margarine

1 teaspoon of sugar

Pinch of salt

180g Plain Flour

2 Egg Yolks

4 Tablespoons of cold water

Filling:

300ml Double cream

5 Rashers of bacon

4 Eggs + 2 Egg yolks

1oz Grated cheddar cheese

Salt and pepper

Pinch of nutmeg if desired

Method:

To make the pastry, cream together the margarine, sugar and salt until soft.  Add sifted flour, egg yolks and water using a fork to mix. Make a dough handling as little as possible, wrap in clingfilm and place in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, grease and flour a loose bottomed flan tin. Once the pastry is cooled, flour the work surface and roll out the pastry and lay into the flan tin, lifting the edges and easing the pastry in around the sides. Cut around the edges or use a rolling pin across the surface to cut off the excess pastry and brush the inside with a little egg white, and prick the bottom gently with a fork, this should give you a crispy bottom, you don’t want a soggy bottom. I love that term!! Put this in the fridge for about 15 minutes to cool.

Preheat the oven to 170 degrees fan/190 degrees C/ 375 degrees F, gas mark 4. Fry the strips of bacon for a few minutes and drain on kitchen paper. For the filling, pour 300ml of double cream into a bowl and whisk for a few minutes to create some air, you’ll get a fluffy quiche if you do this. Add the 4 eggs and 2 egg yolks, salt and pepper and whisk together. Add the grated cheese. Scatter the bacon into the cooled pastry case and then add the egg mixture. Put the quiche in the oven and cook for around 40 minutes. Check after 30 minutes; it should rise significantly whilst cooking but will sink back down when cooled.

Once you smell this homemade quiche cooking your belly will be rumbling I assure you, and you’ll probably never buy a shop bought one again. You’ll get lots of portions with this and I usually serve it with a mixed salad for dinner, or I’ll have it for lunch cold. It’s really gorgeous to eat. X

PS…Oh, I forgot to mention. If you have pets in your home, you may get these fixed stares whilst you’re eating it!