Another Giant Quiche

By: Pete on 12:10:00

I wasn't happy with the last quiche I did...the flavour was all good, but I mucked up the pastry. I made too little, and my patchwork repairs caused a leak. Part of the reason I wanted to get this right is so I knew how much pastry I needed to use my 30cm flan tin (it's massive).

I also added peppers into the recipe, and used them to form a simple pattern on top, which actually came out really well! I could have put a bit more filling in (probably an extra egg and correspondingly extra cream and milk). Very happy with how it came out though, and it tasted lovely! The pastry volume was only just enough, and there would be no harm with adding in another 10% on the volumes

Bacon, Onion, Mushroom and Pepper Quiche

Pastry Ingredients

• 300g plain flour
• 3g salt
• 120g cold butter, cubed into 1cm chunks
• ~50-60ml cold water

1) Put the flour, salt and butter in a food processor with the blade attachment

2) Blitz until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs

3) Slowly add the water while blitzing until a dough begins to form

4) Turn the dough out onto a work surface (or a large bowl), and form a dough, kneading minimally until it just holds together

5) Flatten to a thick disc, wrap in cling-film, and chill for 20 minutes

6) While the dough is chilling, make the filling

Filling Ingredients

• ½ Red Onion
• 5 rashers of bacon
• 7-8 mushrooms
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1tsp sunflower oil
• 4 large eggs
• 200ml Double Cream
• 100ml Milk 
• 225g strong cheddar (grated)

1) Put the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat

2) Slice the onion, and add to the pan

3) Cut the bacon into strips, and add to the pan

4) Cook until onions are soft, and bacon is just starting to brown at the edges

5) Slice the mushrooms, and add to the pan

6) Slice the pepper into thin strips, and add to the pan

7) Cook for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a plate to cool

8) Break the eggs into a jug, and beat

9) Put the milk and cream in another bowl (we are keeping the eggs separate, as we will use them to glaze the pastry)

Assembly/Cooking

1) Pre-heat the oven to 200'C

2) Take the chilled dough, and roll out on a floured surface to4-5mm thickness, large enough to line a 30cm flan tin (it's pretty big, probably close to 40cm round)

3) Line the flan tin with the pastry, making sure that the corners are in properly

4) Prick the base of the pastry with a fork all over

5) Line the pastry with cling-film, and fill with baking beans/dry rice

6) bake the pastry in the oven for 15 minutes

7) remove from the oven, and remove the cling-film/baking beans

8) Using a pastry brush, brush beaten egg on the base and sides of the pastry (this seals it, ensuring no soggy bottom)

9) return to the oven for 7 minutes, until the base is dry, and the egg glaze has begun to go golden

10) Remove from the oven, and reduce the temperature to 160'C

11) Using a sharp knife, trim the edges of the pastry neatly

12) Spread the cheese over the base of the pastry

13) Take the cooled filling, and spread this out evenly over the top of the cheese. Pick out the peppers, and use these to form a pattern on the top

14) Pour the beaten egg into the cream and milk, and beat until thoroughly combined

15) Pour the egg mixture into the flan tin carefully

15) Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes, until the middle is just cooked

16) Remove to a wire rack to cool completely