Quiche -Bacon,cheese & leek

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

I usually just buy shop bought pastry. For some reason making it fresh is part of my ritual with this quiche. It's dead easy.

Step 2

Mix flour, pinch of salt and butter in a bowl using just your finger tips to massage together until you have a breadcrumb like consistency. Makes my fingers ache but doesn't take long. Ensure all blobs of butter are mixed in.

Step 3

Now very carefully add cold water one or two spoonfuls at a time until it starts to come together.

Step 4

Once the crumbs start to join at all I give it a poke around to see if it will hold. If it does then no more water! Now dust your surface with a little flour and knead gently into a ball. Dont work too much. Then wrap in clingfilm and into the fridge for 30 minutes.

Step 5

Remove from fridge, roll our large enough for 20cm baking tin, prick the base with a fork and back into the fridge for 15 minutes. The pastry will shrink in the over a but so leave a little extra round the sides.

Step 6

Back out the fridge and line with baking paper then fill with baking beans. Now every single time I make this I forget that I don't have baking beans, so I use rice and vow to buy baking beans that night ...then don't. So I used rice. Its fine. Just a waste of rice unless you keep using the same rice every time! Then put your baking tin with pastry and beans (or rice!) into a preheated oven (200C/180C fan/gas 6) on top of a hot baking tray for 15 minutes, then out and remove the beans/rice and paper and back in for 10 more minutes. All this to avoid a soggy bottom...Pastry case now ready to load up!

Step 7

Filling

Step 8

During the above's making, chilling and baking you can get on with making the filling.

Step 9

Fry bacon, leeks, salt, pepper and herbs on a medium heat for about 10-15 minutes until fat rendered from the bacon and leaks softened. Set aside in bowl lined with kitchen roll to soak up some of the oil.

Step 10

In a bowl mix the eggs, cream, milk, nutmeg and season with salt and pepper. Once bacon and leek mix has cooled a bit mix this in too along and about 3/4 of the cheese. Pour into your pastry case and top with remaining cheese.

Step 11

Reduce the oven temp to 190C/170C fan/gas 5 then bake for 30-35 minutes. You want it to be at the point where there's still a bit of a gentle wobble in the center but not too much. A bit like my brownie recipe.

Step 12

Once done leave to settle for ten minutes then use two plates to turn out onto one of them so you can slice it easily. Lovely when hot and still a bit mushy but equally good when cold and fully set.