Leek, Bacon & Edam Cheese Quiche .- What can I tell you about this? It's a lovely lunch, brunch or light dinner dish that somehow has fallen out of favor... but not at my house! I still make and love Quiche!... All kinds of Quiche and this recipe can be used as a great base recipe to base yours from... It's also a great fridge cleaner-outer since you can use all those little leftovers you might have rumbling around in there, so pretty practical too.
Eminently flexible since you can add or change the ingredients. Maybe no bacon, all veggie or chicken? No Edam? How about Emmenthaler, Gouda, Swiss, Sharp Cheddar? Your choice... It's also great cold, easy to carry-out for lunch or picnic, or a quick lunch or even a lovely dinner, with a green salad and a glass of wine...
To make this you will need:
Pie Dough (this makes 2 - 9" pie doughs
2½ cups (375 g) all-purpose flour 1 Tbsp (12 g) granulated sugar 1 tsp fine sea salt 3 Tbsp (45 mL) vegetable oil 1 cup (225 g) cool unsalted butter, cut into pieces (does not have to be ice cold) ¼ cup (60 mL) cool water 2 tsp white vinegar or fresh lemon juice 1 egg white, for brushing the baked quiche shell Quiche Filling: 2- 3 large leeks 3 - 4 slices of Bacon, chopped into fine batons 3 Tbsp (45 g) butter
½ cup (125 mL) dry white wine ½ tsp fine salt ¼ tsp ground black pepper ¼ tsp ground nutmeg 2 large eggs ½ cup (125 mL) whipping cream (I used 3/4 cup heavy cream, no half & half) ⅓ cup (80 mL) half-&-half cream 1 ½ cup (165 g) coarsely grated Gruyere cheese or your choice
Directions • 1. Combine the dry ingredients by stirring the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add the oil. Using a pastry cutter, electric beaters or a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, blend until the flour looks evenly crumbly. NOTE: I used my Kitchenaid and done before you know it, pay attention to the texture. Some baking wisdom! Adding a little vegetable oil to the flour before adding the butter is another secret for tender and flaky pie dough. The oil coats the flour so that it won’t overhydrate when the water is added. Too much water develops the protein in the flour, which is why a crust becomes tough or shrinks when it bakes. 2. Add the butter and cut in until the dough is rough and crumbly but small pieces of butter are still visible. 3. Add the liquids. Place the water and vinegar (or lemon juice) in a small bowl, stir together and then add a little at a time to the flour mixture, mixing just until the dough comes together. Shape it into two discs, wrap well and chill until firm, at least 1 hour. If you are not making a pie immediately, refrigerate the dough, well wrapped, for up to 2 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge before rolling. You will need only one disc of dough for the quiche. NOTE: This makes 2 pie doughs, you only need 1 for this Quiche so you can freeze the other one. 4. Roll out the pie dough on a lightly floured surface into a circle just under ¼ inch (6 mm) thick. Trim away any large pieces of dough from the edge and tuck and pinch the edges in a pattern. Alternatively, trim the pastry to the outside edge of the pie plate and press in place. Cut out shapes from the excess pastry, moisten with water and press gently along the top edge of the pastry. Dock the bottom of the pie shell with a fork. Chill the pastry shell for at least 30 minutes (up to a day). 5. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). 6. Weight the pie shell. Place two sheets of aluminum foil over the pie shell, gently covering the outside trim. Use pie weights, dried rice or dried beans (about 2 cups/500 mL) and pour these on top of the foil, spreading them out to the edges. 7. Bake the pie for 20 minutes. Carefully remove the foil together with the pie weights (this is why you double up on the foil). Return the pan to the oven to bake for 10 minutes more, until the edges of the pastry are light brown and the bottom of the pastry appears dry but still pale. 8. Brush the pie shell, hot from the oven, with lightly whisked egg white. Cool the pie shell in its pan on a rack before filling. 9. Prepare the leeks. Trim away the ends and dark green parts of the leeks. Cut each leek in half lengthwise, then cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) slices. Place in a colander and rinse and drain well. 10. Cook the leek filling. Add the bacon. Melt the butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat and add the leeks. Cook, stirring often, until softened completely, about 15 minutes. Add the white wine and continue to cook until all liquid has evaporated. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the salt, pepper and nutmeg. Let the mixture cool for 15 minutes. 11. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and place a 9-inch (23 cm) your baked pie shell on a baking tray 12. Whisk the eggs well and then whisk in the whipping and half-&-half creams. 13. Assemble the quiche. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and place the partially blind-baked pastry shell on top. Sprinkle the cooled leeks over the bottom of the pie shell, then sprinkle with the cheese. Carefully pour the eggs into the pastry, giving them time to cascade and fill in between the leeks and cheese. The quiche will not be filled to the top of the pan, but the eggs will expand as the quiche bakes. 14. Bake the quiche for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (180°C) and continue to bake for about 20 minutes more, until the quiche is set and golden brown. 15. Cool the quiche in its pan on a rack for at least 15 minutes before slicing to serve warm.
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