Real men DO eat quiche!

I've had a request for quiche and I'm going to make it this weekend come hell or high water. I've had the ingredients and recipe at the ready for over a week now. It needs to get done! I'm using a Rachel Allen recipe for the dish though it's pretty basic and similar to what I've done in previous quiche-making forays. Here's what you (and I) will need:

For the shortcrust pastry:
1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
1/2 cup butter, chilled and cubed
1 pinch salt 1 egg, beaten

For the filling:
1 Tbs olive oil
3/4 cup bacon, cut into 1 cm cubes
1/2 cup onions, chopped 4 eggs (2 whole, 2 yolks)
1 cup cream
1 Tbs chopped parsley
1 Tbs chopped chives
1/4 cup cheddar and/or Gruyère cheese, grated


For the pastry:
Put the flour, butter and a pinch of salt in a food processor and process briefly.

Add half the beaten egg and continue to process, adding a little more egg if needed until mixture just comes together. If making the pastry by hand, rub the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs then, using your hands, add just enough egg to bring it together.

With your hands, flatten out the ball of dough until it is about 2cm thick, then wrap it in cling film (plastic wrap for us Westerners) or place it in a plastic bag and leave in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or, if you are pushed for time, in the freezer for 10–15 minutes, before using.

Preheat the oven to 180C

Line a 19cm high-sided tart tin with the shortcrust pastry and cover the base with baking parchment. Fill the tin with baking beans and bake blind for 10-15 minutes. Remove the beans and parchment for the last five minutes of baking for a golden crust.

For the filling:
Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the bacon for 5-6 minutes, or until crisp. Remove and drain on kitchen paper (paper towel). Sweat the onions gently in the same oil for a further ten minutes, or until softened.

Meanwhile, whisk the two whole eggs and two egg yolks in a medium-sized bowl, add the cream, herbs, cheeses and bacon and onions. Mix well and season with salt and black pepper.

Pour the filling into the pastry base and return to the oven to bake for 30–40 minutes, or until the center has set.

Sounds good right? Yum. I'll let you know how it goes!

P.S. for anyone trying to convert British recipes to our Canadian measurements, try the Gourmet Sleuth website.