Quickie Quiche Substitution Staples Food

CRUSTLESS QUICHE MASTER RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. For the pan: Brush pan with the soft butter and sprinkle the grated Parmesan evenly on top. Or for a Quick Crust, pulse bread into crumbs in a food processor. Heat butter or oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add bread crumbs and stir until evenly toasted, about 5 minutes. Evenly spread crumbs in a 9-inch glass or ceramic pie pan. Place pan on a baking sheet.
• Whisk the half-and-half, eggs and yolks in large glass measuring cup. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, cayenne or paprika to taste. Spread half the desired filling evenly in the pan, top with about half the cheese; repeat with remaining filling and cheese. Pour the custard over the fillings. Top with more herbs or cheese as desired.
• Bake until the quiche is just set in the center, about 40 to 50 minutes. Cool completely on a rack before serving.

HOMEMADE QUICHE CRUST

Steps:

• In a food processor add the flour, salt, chilled cubed butter (and vegetable shortening) Pulse for 30 seconds until it resembles coarse bread crumb consistency. Pro tip - You can also do this in a bowl using a pastry blender or fork, (I prefer my fingertips) to cut the butter (and vegetable shortening) into the flour. It should look like a crumbly flour-butter mixture.
• Combine the egg with cold water and add it to the mixture. Pulse or combine for 30 seconds more. Pro tip - the mixture will still be crumbly but when squished with your fingers it will shape into a dough. So, don't over mix or pulse too much.
• Pour the mixture onto a work surface. Bring all the crumbs together and shape it into a ball. Then flatten into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 20 to 30 minutes or until firm enough to roll. Pro tip - If you flatten it into a larger disc it will chill faster and you will have to wait for much less time.
• Once firm enough to roll - roll the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Star with a tapping motion, then roll from the center out. Pro tip - if the dough cracks too much, means it's too cold. Let it at room temperature for 5 to 7 minutes.
• Use your quiche pan as a guide to know how big you need it. When you reach the desired size, transfer the dough without cracking. Gently fit it to the pie pan, especially in the bottom edges. Pro tip - To transfer the dough without cracking too much, I like to roll the dough onto my rolling pin then unroll it over the pan.
• Remove the excess dough and neaten the edges. When using a quiche or tart pan, I like to roll my rolling pin over the tart to cut off the excess around the edges. Then neaten the edges by running your thumb along the edges. If using a pie pan, fold the edges under and crimp the edge by forming a V shape with your thumb and index finger.
• Chill the quiche crust in the fridge for 15 minutes up to 48 hours. Pro tip - if leaving for a long time make sure to wrap in plastic so it does not dry out.
• Preheat the oven at 400°F / 200°C/ Gas Mark 6Pro tip- it is very essential that the oven is heated to the optimal temperature otherwise the crust can shrink when baking.
• Dock the chilled pastry all over with a fork to prevent the pastry from puffing up. Line the pie with parchment paper. Then, fill the center with pie weights or baking beans (dry beans) Pro tip - this is called blind baking the crust. We do this so that the pastry will be partially cooked before we add the filling.
• Bake for 15 minutes - then, remove the pie weights and parchment paper. Add the filling to the pre-baked crust and bake it further for as long and necessary - until the filling is cooked. Depending on the recipe you will need to reduce oven temperature to 350°F/ 177°C/ Gas mark 4Pro tip - most quiche filling will include a dry filling mixture with a custard-based liquid mixture.
• When baking If the edges of the crust get too dark, tent the edges with aluminum foil or a pie shield to prevent it from becoming too dark.Pro tip - Make sure your cover just the edges of the tart otherwise you will not have a nice color on the quiche.

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.

QUICKIE QUICHE: SUBSTITUTION STAPLES

Steps:

• Dice onion & garlic and caramalize with sherry. Add mushrooms & salt/pepper to taste then reduce heat to low. Beat together five eggs and a cup of cottage cheese. Too this, add 1/2 cup fresh basil (if available ... a tablespoon of pesto can be substitued for dry or fresh) and a 1/2 cup brocoli. Combine egg mixture with onions & shrooms, mix, then pour into a pre-made pie shell. Add some sliced of jarlsberg to the top with a good dusting of a parmesean blend to the top & bake at 350 for 30 minutes.