Classic Quiche Food

CLASSIC QUICHE LORRAINE

Steps:

• In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crisp; transfer bacon to a paper-towel lined plate using a slotted spoon; let bacon drain.
• Discard all but 1 tablespoon bacon drippings from pan.
• Add in onion and shallot; stir/saute for 5 minutes or until tender; stir in parsley.
• In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, mustard, nutmeg, salt, and pepper; add in onion mixture and bacon; stir to combine.
• Sprinkle cheese over the bottom of the pie shell.
• Pour egg mixture over all.
• Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 40-45 minutes or until knife inserted into center comes out clean (cover pie crust edges as appropriate if become too brown).
• Let stand for 10 minutes.
• Cut into wedges and serve.

CLASSIC QUICHE

Steps:

• Crust: Pulse flour and salt in a food processor until combined. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Whisk together egg and yolk with ice water. Add to flour mixture and pulse until moist crumbs start to form (no longer). Transfer mixture to a piece of plastic wrap and, using wrap and your hands, form into a disk (or 2 disks, if making 2 quiches in pie plates). Refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.
• Let sit at room temperature until pliable, then roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to a 14-inch round. Fit into a 9-inch springform pan, folding and pressing sides to an even thickness. (Or roll out 2 disks to 11-inch rounds and fit into 8- or 9-inch pie plates.)
• Trim edge of dough flush with top of springform pan. (If using pie plates, fold edges of dough under; crimp as desired.) Wrap in plastic; freeze at least 30 minutes and up to 3 days. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Line crust with parchment; fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake, with a baking sheet on rack below, 20 minutes; remove paper and beans. Bake until golden, 12 to 15 minutes (8 to 10 minutes, for pie plates). Let cool.
• Reduce oven to 375 degrees. Whisk eggs until smooth, then whisk in remaining ingredients until well combined.
• Pour custard mixture into cooled crust, stopping just short of top (if making in 2 pie plates, divide evenly between crusts). You may not need to use all of custard; be careful not to overfill.
• Add any toppings. Bake 10 minutes; reduce oven to 325 degrees. Bake until filling is just set. Let cool about 1 hour before serving.

CLASSIC QUICHE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees.
• Unfold pie crust and place into 9 inch pie pan.
• Press firmly into pie pan and bake for 8 minutes.
• set aside.
• Prepare filling--------------.
• In a large skillet, cook bacon 5-6 minutes until crisp and drain on paper towel.
• In a small bowl, beat eggs, add half and half and nutmeg and blend well.
• Crumble bacon over baked pie crust and sprinkle cheese over crumbled bacon.
• Carefully pour egg mixture into pie pan.
• Bake quiche at 425 for 15 minutes.
• Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake 15-20 minutes longer until golden brown or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

QUICHE LORRAINE

Steps:

• Make the Shortcrust pastry, recipe below, leaving to chill for 30 minutes before using.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the tart pan with the pastry dough, and bake 'blind'.
• Filling: Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the bacon until crisp. Remove and drain on paper towels. Then sweat the onions gently in the same oil for 10 minutes more.
• Meanwhile, whisk the eggs in a medium-sized bowl, add the cream, parsley and chives, cheeses, and cool bacon and onions. Mix well and add seasoning.
• Pour the filling into the pastry base and return to the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the center has set. Serve warm with a green salad and relish.
• Put the flour, salt, and butter in a food processor and whiz or pulse briefly. Add half the beaten egg and continue to whiz. You might add a little more egg, but not too much as the mixture should be just moist enough to come together. If making by hand, rub the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse bread crumbs. Then, using your hands, add just enough egg to bring the dough together.
• With your hands, flatten out the ball of dough, until it is about 3/4-inch thick, and then wrap in plastic wrap or place in a plastic bag and leave in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or, if you are pushed for time, in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Makes 1 crust (about 14 ounces).

CRAB QUICHE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the bottom of the pie crust. Top with the crab meat and sprinkle with the scallions. Whisk together the heavy cream, lemon zest, mustard, seafood seasoning, salt, mace and eggs in a bowl. Pour the egg mixture into the pie crust.
• Bake until the custard sets, about 40 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes before slicing.

QUICHE LORRAINE

Steps:

• For the dough: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch pie plate and set aside.
• Pulse the flour and salt in a food processor to blend. Pulse in the egg yolks and butter. (Do not overmix.) Add the ice water through the top and pulse until the dough comes together and forms a loose ball. Turn the dough onto a floured surface.
• Place the dough between two sheets of parchment paper. Roll into a round, about 10 inches in diameter. Press the dough gently into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pie plate. Ideally, there should be about an inch of excess dough hanging over the edge. Pinch the dough up to create a crimped edge. Place one sheet of parchment over the dough and fill with pie weights. Bake until lightly brown, 16 to 18 minutes. Remove the parchment paper and pie weights and let cool.
• For the quiche custard: Cook the lardons in a skillet until crispy, 5 to 8 minutes. Set aside.
• Whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, milk, nutmeg, hot sauce, Worcestershire, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Stir in the cheeses.
• Place the pie shell on a rimmed baking sheet. Scatter three-quarters of the bacon over the shell, then pour the custard over the top. Bake until set and brown and bubbly on top, 25 to 30 minutes. Garnish with the remaining bacon and chives. Slice and serve.

BASIC QUICHE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.
• Beat eggs in a large mixing bowl.
• Add filling and milk and mix well.
• Pour mixture into frozen pie crust.
• Place quiche on cookie sheet and bake on the middle oven rack for 45-50 minutes, or until top is browned and a knife inserted in center comes out clean.
• Serve with a crisp green salad or maybe some fresh fruit on the side.

CLASSIC QUICHE LORRAINE

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6.
• Pastry:
• Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl, rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
• Mix in the egg-yolk and sufficient iced water to bind the ingredients.
• Knead the dough lightly, and then chill in the refrigerator for thirty minutes. (I always cover the pastry with clingwrap).
• While pastry is 'resting',
• Melt half the butter in a frying pan and cook the bacon pieces gently until lightly coloured.
• Put the cream and eggs in a bowl and whisk together. Add the grated nutmeg and seasoning.
• Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and use to line a buttered 23cm/9 inch loose-bottomed flan tin. Prick the base of the flan with a fork.
• Sprinkle the cooked bacon pieces over the base of the pastry case and dot with the remaining butter.
• Pour in the cream and egg mixture.
• Bake in a pre-heated oven at 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6 for 30 minutes, or until set and golden brown.

ULTIMATE QUICHE LORRAINE

Steps:

• For the pastry, put 175g plain flour, 100g cold butter, cut into pieces, 1 egg yolk and 4 tsp cold water into a food processor. Using the pulse button, process until the mix binds.
• Tip the pastry onto a lightly floured surface, gather into a smooth ball, then roll out as thinly as you can.
• Line a 23 x 2.5cm loose-bottomed, fluted flan tin, easing the pastry into the base.
• Trim the pastry edges with scissors (save any trimmings) so it sits slightly above the tin (if it shrinks, it shouldn't now go below the level of the tin). Press the pastry into the flutes, lightly prick the base with a fork, then chill for 10 mins.
• Put a baking sheet in the oven and heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Line pastry case with foil, shiny side down, fill with dry beans and bake on the hot sheet for 15 mins.
• Remove foil and beans and bake for 4-5 mins more until the pastry is pale golden. If you notice any small holes or cracks, patch up with pastry trimmings. You can make up to this point a day ahead.
• While the pastry cooks, prepare the filling. Heat a small frying pan, tip in 200g lardons and fry for a couple of mins. Drain off any liquid that comes out, then continue cooking until the lardons just start to colour, but aren't crisp. Remove and drain on paper towels.
• Cut three quarters of the 50g gruyère into small dice and finely grate the rest. Scatter the diced gruyère and fried lardons over the bottom of the pastry case.
• Using a spoon, beat 200ml crème fraîche to slacken it then slowly beat in 200ml double cream. Mix in 3 well beaten eggs. Season (you shouldn't need much salt) and add a pinch of ground nutmeg. Pour three quarters of the filling into the pastry case.
• Half-pull the oven shelf out and put the flan tin on the baking sheet. Quickly pour the rest of the filling into the pastry case - you get it right to the top this way. Scatter the grated cheese over the top, then carefully push the shelf back into the oven.
• Lower the oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Bake for about 25 mins, or until golden and softly set (the centre should not feel too firm).
• Let the quiche settle for 4-5 mins, then remove from the tin. Serve freshly baked, although it's also good cold.

BASIC CLASSIC QUICHE

Steps:

• 1. Prepare the crust. Using a food processor with the metal blade, whisk together the flour and salt.
• 2. Cut the cold butter into tablespoon-sized pieces and drop into the flour mixture. Process until the dough is crumbly.
• 3. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons ice water and process. If the dough begins to form a ball and move around the processor bowl, you have enough water. If it is still crumbly, add more ice water until it does form a ball.
• 4. Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap and pat it into a round about an inch thick. Wrap well and refrigerate for at least an hour. You can make the dough one day and bake it the next.
• 5. Saute the bacon and 1/2 cup finely diced onions in a skillet with 1 tablespoon oil just until the onions are softened. Add a teaspoon of dried rosemary and saute another minute. Add the salt, white pepper, cayenne pepper, and nutmeg. You can do this step the day before as well if you like. Refrigerate if you do.
• 6. When you are ready to make the quiche, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Roll out the dough and fit it into a 9"- quiche or pie pan. Cover the pastry with aluminum foil, fill with pie weights or dried beans and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the foil and pie weights and bake 3 more minutes. Reduce heat to 325 degrees F.
• 7. Beat the 4 eggs in a large mixing bowl. Add the half & half and blend well. Stir in the bacon/onion mixture. Fold in the grated cheese.
• 8. Pour the filling into the pie shell and return to the oven. Bake 45-50 minutes until the pie is set firm.
• 9. May be eaten hot or cold.