Bacon and Leek Quiche
Bacon and Leek Quiche, with two cheeses and a simple four-ingredient crust, makes a satisfying lunch or dinner.
Servings 6
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 10 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces and chilled, plus extra
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 5 to 7 tablespoons iced water
For the filling:
- 4 slices bacon
- 2 medium leeks, white and pale green parts
- grapeseed or vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1-1/2 cups coarsely grated Gruyère cheese (about 1/4-pound)
- 1/4 cup coarsely grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup half & half
- 1/2 teaspoon Herbes de Provence (optional—see Kitchen Notes)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Make the dough. Cut butter into 1/2-inch cubes, place in a small bowl and chill in freezer or fridge. Place flour and salt in food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Scatter butter over flour mixture and pulse several times, until it resembles a coarse, crumblike meal.
- Working quickly, add 4 tablespoons of iced water and pulse several times. Add 1 or 2 more tablespoons of water and pulse again,with slightly longer pulses. If necessary, add more iced water, a tablespoon at a time, and pulse until mixture forms large dough balls. The change will be quick and dramatic—you'll know when it's happened.
- Form dough into a flattened patty—again, work quickly and handle the dough as little as possible—and cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.
- Par-bake the crust. Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Grease a 9- or10-inch pie pan, or a tart pan with a removable bottom, with butter. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to about a 1/8-inch thickness (more important, it should obviously be larger than your pie plate). Gently transfer it to the pie pan; Marion showed me a trick of folding it back over the rolling pin to lift it. You may also need a spatula to unstick it from the table or other surface. Gently press it into the bottom and inner edges of the pan.
- Pinch the edges of the crust into pleats extending a bit above the edge of the pie plate, because of inevitable shrinkage during baking.
- Prick the bottom of the crust at 1/2-inch intervals with a fork. Lightly press a sheet of aluminum foil inside the crust and fill it with pie weights or uncooked rice or dried beans. Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, until edges are slightly colored.
- Prepare the filling. While the crust is par-baking, slice leeks lengthwise and carefully rinse, fanning leeks under cold running water. Then slice into 1/2 inch pieces. Fry bacon over medium heat until crisp and drain on paper towel; crumble into small pieces. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of bacon fat and add leeks to pan. Sauté until soft, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a little oil if pan seems too dry.
- Lightly beat eggs in a medium bowl and add half & half, Herbes de Provence, salt and pepper. When crust is ready, place it on a cooling rack and remove foil with weights. Spread Dijon mustard in bottom of crust. Add leeks to crust, then layer on bacon, then cheese. Carefully pour egg mixture over everything, gently working the cheese with a fork to allow eggs to settle in around cheese, bacon and leeks.
- Bake the quiche. Transfer pie plate to oven and bake until filling puffs up and browns slightly, and is set (not jiggly when you lightly shake it), about 25 to 35 minutes. A knife or tester should come out clean when inserted in the middle. Cool on a rack for at least 10 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve. Quiche may be served warm—my preference—or at room temperature.
Kitchen Notes
Herbs or no herbs? I said the Herbes de Provence were optional in this dish, but I would use them—or some herbs—in it. It's another way to avoid a bland quiche that tastes like nothing more than overcooked scrambled eggs. But use an extremely light hand. Even the 1/2 teaspoon I used here made its presence known nicely.