All Day Baking: Savoury, Not Sweet
By Michael James
Bacon and onion quiche
Not Too Tricky
serves 8
About the recipe
This is my version of a quiche lorraine, the classic French savoury tart. A great quiche relies on good ingredients and knowing and trusting your oven. The result is satisfying, versatile and easily transportable, and it is well worth the effort learning to perfect this bake.
Recipe From
Ingredients
½ quantity Flaky shortcrust pastry
granulated sugar or baking weights, for blind baking
250g (9oz/5 medium) eggs
250g (9oz) cream
250g (9oz) full-cream (whole) milk
1 tablespoon chopped thyme
1 teaspoon fine salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
130g (4½oz) Gruyère, grated
180g (6½oz) streaky bacon
100g (3½oz) Caramelised onions
50g (13⁄4oz) unsalted butter
40g (11⁄2oz/2 tablespoons) olive oil
1kg (2lb 3oz) onions, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 fresh bay leaf
5g (⅕oz) flaky sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped thyme
Top Tip
I like to make and blind bake the shell in advance. Once you’ve lined the tin with pastry, chill it in the fridge before baking to produce a flakier crust. I blind bake with aluminium foil for good heat distribution and so you get right into the corners, and I like to use sugar because it’s cheap and provides an even weight as the pastry bakes. If there are any cracks in the pastry after blind baking, seal them by brushing a little egg wash over them before filling the quiche. For larger holes or tears, use some excess pastry to fill the gap and brush with egg wash, then return to the oven for a few minutes. Once baked, the shell will keep for up to four days at room temperature in an airtight container.
Easy to adapt and make gluten-free by using gluten-free flaky pastry.
Method
- First line your tart tin . Lightly grease a 23cm (9in) round, 3.5cm (1½in) deep tart tin with a little butter. Put the pastry on a lightly floured kitchen bench and roll it out into a large disc 3–4mm (⅛in) thick. Gently lay the pastry over the tin, then use your thumb to press the pastry firmly into the base. Trim off the excess pastry with a knife, leaving a little overhanging the edge to allow for shrinkage. Transfer to the fridge to rest for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Line the rested pastry case with aluminium foil and fill with granulated sugar until heaped. Bake for 30 minutes, then reduce the oven to 160°C (320°F), remove the foil and sugar and bake for a further 20 minutes, or until golden. If you find the middle puffs up, prick the pastry a few times with a fork.
- To prepare the custard, whisk together the eggs, cream and milk in a large bowl. Add the thyme, salt and pepper and whisk them through. Add the cheese and stir to evenly distribute it.
- To bake the quiche, preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Meanwhile, heat a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the bacon until crispy. Remove from the pan and cool, then roughly chop.
- To make the caramelised onions, melt the butter and olive oil in a large heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, bay leaf, salt and pepper and cook with the lid on, stirring occasionally, for 10–12 minutes to soften the onion and release the juices. The salt will help to draw the juices out.
- Take the lid off and reduce the heat to medium–low. Cook, stirring occasionally, for a further 45 minutes to slowly caramelise the onions. The mixture will dry out and appear thick and glossy once ready. Stir in the thyme and taste for seasoning.
- Store the caramelised onion for 1 week in the fridge. For longer storage, pour into sterilised jars and seal. Store the unopened jars in the pantry for up to 6 months.
- Spread a thin layer of caramelised onion over the base of the tart shell. Evenly distribute the bacon pieces over the top.
- Give the custard a stir to evenly disperse the ingredients, then transfer it to a jug to make filling the quiche easier. Slide out your oven shelf, place the tin on the shelf, then pour the custard into the shell, being careful not to overfill it. Alternatively, fill it on the bench and carefully transfer to the oven.
- Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven to 160°C (320°F). Bake for a further 30–35 minutes, turning the tin halfway through, until the centre of the quiche feels firm but still has a slight wobble. It should be firm rather than runny, but only just cooked. Transfer to a wire rack and cool in the tin for at least 30 minutes to let the custard set. Serve warm or at room temperature. Keeps in the fridge for 3–4 days.
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