Quiche Lorraine

Ingredients

• FOR THE PASTRY
• 175 g plain flour
• 100 g cold butter , cut into pieces
• 1 egg yolk
• FOR THE FILLING
• 200 g pack lardons
• 50 g gruyere
• 200 ml carton crème fraîche
• 200 ml double cream
• 3 eggs , well beaten
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch of ground nutmeg

Steps

1. Make the pastry: in a food processor, pulse the flour, butter, egg yolk, and 4 tsp cold water. Pulse until the mixture binds together.
2. Remove the pastry from the food processor and place on a lightly floured surface. Work it into a small ball, then roll out as thinly as you can, using a rolling pin (or wine bottle.)
3. Ease the pastry into a 23 x 2.5cm loose-bottomed, fluted flat tin. Using scissors, trim the the edges so the pastry sits slightly above the tin. Press the pastry into the flutes, and prick the base with a fork. Chill in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven at 400°F. Place a baking sheet in the middle rack.
5. Get the fluted tin out of the refrigerator. Line it with foil, shiny side down, and fill with dry beans or rice. Place on the hot sheet in the oven, and bake for 15 minutes.
6. Remove the foil and beans/rice. Leave the pastry tin in the oven for another 5 minutes, or until pale golden. Remove the tin when done, but leave the baking sheet in the oven.
7. Prepare the filling: fry the lardons in a skillet. Drain off any liquid, and continue cooking until the lardons begin to color, but not crispy. Remove from heat, and drain on paper towels.
8. Dice ¾ of the gruyere cheese into small pieces. Finely grate the remaining ¼. Spread the fried lardons and the diced gruyere over the bottom of the pastry.
9. Soften the crème fraîche by beating it with a spoon. Slowly beat in the double cream, and mix in 3 well-beaten eggs. Season with a pinch of salt and ground nutmeg. Pour ¾ of the mixture into the pastry case.
10. Pull out half of the baking sheet from the oven. Place the tin onto the baking sheet. Quickly pour in the rest of the filling into the case, and scatter the grated gruyere over the top. Push the baking sheet back into the oven.
11. Lower the oven temperature to 375°F, and bake until golden and softly set, around 25 minutes. The center should not feel too firm.
12. Remove from the oven. Let the quiche settle for 4-5 minutes before removing from the tin. Serve.