Lunch · French
Quiche Lorraine
Crisp pastry, smoky bacon and a just-set cheddar custard. Slices travel well in a tub.
- Start to finish
- 1 hr 45 min
- Hands-on
- 28 min
- In the fridge
- 3 days
- Freezes
- Not well
Contains gluten, dairy, eggs
Ingredients
4 portions- 1 sheetReady-rolled shortcrust pastry
- 6 rashersSmoked back bacon
- 80gMature cheddar, grated
- 4Eggs
- 300mlDouble cream
- 100mlSemi-skimmed milk
- 2Little gem lettuces, add on the day
Plus salt, pepper and water.
Method
- 1
Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan). Line a 23cm loose-bottomed tart tin with the pastry, pressing it well into the edges and leaving the excess hanging over the sides. Prick the base with a fork and chill for 10 minutes.
15 min, mostly hands-off
- 2
Line the pastry with baking paper, fill with baking beans or uncooked rice and bake for 15 minutes. Lift out the paper and beans and bake for 5 to 8 minutes more, until the base is dry and pale golden.
25 min, mostly hands-off
- 3
Meanwhile, cut the bacon into thin strips and fry in a dry frying pan for 5 to 6 minutes, until crisp and golden. Drain on kitchen paper.
- 4
Beat the eggs with the cream, milk, plenty of pepper and a little salt.
- 5
Turn the oven down to 180C (160C fan). Scatter the bacon and cheddar over the pastry case, set the tin on a baking tray on the oven shelf and pour in the custard.
- 6
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until golden and just set, with a slight wobble in the very middle.
35 min, mostly hands-off
- 7
Trim off the overhanging pastry with a sharp knife and leave the quiche to cool in the tin for at least 20 minutes. Cut into 8 slices and pack into tubs for the fridge.
25 min, mostly hands-off
On the day
Cold or at room temperature, with little gem leaves alongside. To warm a slice, give it 10 minutes in a 180C (160C fan) oven; the microwave makes the pastry soggy.
Cook’s tip
Pour in the last of the custard once the tin is already on the oven shelf. You can fill it right to the brim without sloshing any over the edge.