Quiche Lorraine
A French classic that is great fresh out of the oven, or the following day, cold or reheated.
Ingredients:
1 quantity of savoury pastry (see below)
½ beaten egg for brushing pastry
6 rashers of smoked streaky bacon
300ml (10floz) double cream
1 large egg
3 large egg yolks
Black pepper
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 6/200°C/400°F and grease a 23cm/9in round Pyrex pie dish.
2. Make the pastry according to the instructions (see below).
3. Line the pie dish base and sides with the pastry and trim to fit exactly. Keep any extra pieces of pastry, as you may need them later.
4. Bake the pastry blind for 15 minutes in the centre of the oven. There is no need to use baking beans for gluten-free pastry.
5. Next, check if there are any holes in the pastry that appeared while you baked the pastry and that you may have missed earlier. Fill any holes with a little of the spare pastry and then brush over with the beaten egg.
6. Turn the oven down to Gas Mark 4/180°C/350°F.
7. Snip the bacon into strips and cook it gently in a frying pan until the fat begins to run. The strips should remain pink and soft, not crispy.
8. Drain and leave to cool slightly on a piece of kitchen paper, before spreading over the bottom of the pastry case. Whisk together the cream, egg, yolks and pepper, then pour into the pastry case and place in the oven for 20 minutes. You will know when it is ready, as the custard filling will have set.
9. Remove from the oven and leave for 10 minutes before serving.
Savoury Pastry
Ingredients:
200g (8oz) Denise’s Delicious flour blend
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
100g (4oz) butter/margarine, at room temperature
1 large egg
2 tablespoons cold water, if needed
Method:
1. Sieve the flour, salt and xanthan gum into a medium-sized bowl.
2. Cut the butter/margarine into cubes and add to the flour mixture. Using an electric mixer, on speed two, work the butter/margarine into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs.
3. In a small bowl, beat the egg lightly with a fork. Add the egg to the mixture and using the mixer, bring together in a ball. One egg is sufficient for this and the mix will form into a ball. However, if the egg is not very large, then add the water one tablespoon at a time. Do not add the water if the mix does not need it, you do not want a sticky pastry.
4. Wrap in a piece of greaseproof paper and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. When ready to roll out, roll onto a board floured with potato flour. If you are nervous about handling gluten-free pastry, then place it between two pieces of cling film and roll out.
