Searcy (LP) Quiche is a savoury, open-faced pastry crust with a filling of savoury custard with cheese, meat, seafood, and/or vegetables. Quiche can be served hot or cold. It is part of French cuisine but is also popular in other countries, particularly as party food.



The word is first attested in English in 1805, borrowed from the French, itself first attested in 1605; the further etymology is uncertain but it may be related to the German Kuchen meaning “cake” or “tart”.



Quiche is considered a French dish, however custards in pastry were known in English cuisine at least as early as the 14th century. Recipes for custards baked in pastry containing meat, fish and fruit are referred to Crustardes of flesh and Crustade in the

14th-century The Forme of Cury and in 15th-century cookbooks as well. Quiche has a pastry crust and a filling of eggs and milk or cream which, when baked, becomes a custard. It can be made with vegetables, meat and seafood.



 

Quiche lorraine (named for the Lorraine region of France) is a popular variant that was originally an open pie with a filling of custard with lardons. There are many variants of Quiche, including a wide variety of ingredients. Variants may be named descriptively, often in French, e.g. Quiche au fromage (Quiche with cheese) and Quiche aux champignons (quiche with mushrooms) or conventionally, e.g. florentine (spinach) and Provençal (tomatoes).

Recipe by Jamie Oliver

Ingredients:



1 tablespoon butter


140 g higher-welfare bacon or lardons


140 g higher-welfare ham


140 g Gruyere cheese


250 ml crème fraîche


2 large free-range eggs


2 large free-range egg yolks


250 ml milk


1 pinch of ground nutmeg


PASTRY
500 g flour


130 g unsalted butter


2 large free-range egg yolk


CARROT & PARSLEY SALAD


6 large carrots


a few sprigs of fresh flat-leaf parsley


4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil


1 lemon


 

Method



For the pastry, combine the flour and 1 teaspoon of sea salt in a food processor. Dice and add the butter and the egg yolks and process for 1 minute.



Add about 4 tablespoons of cold water and pulse until the dough is combined.


Transfer to a lightly floured surface and gently knead for 2 minutes, or until the dough is just combined. Flatten to a disc, wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.



Remove the dough from the fridge and roll out on a lightly floured surface to about 5mm thick.


Lay the pastry over a round 32cm tart tin (about 4cm deep), and carefully press into the base and sides.


Trim any excess with a sharp knife, line the case with 4 layers of clingfilm and refrigerate for 30 minutes.


Preheat the oven to 180ºC/gas 4.


To blind bake the pastry, fill with pastry weights, rice or beans and bake for 15 minutes. Lift out the weights using the clingfilm and bake the pastry for 5 more minutes, or until the base is dry.



Remove from the oven, place the tin on an oven tray and leave to cool.


Melt the butter in a large pan over a medium heat, dice and add the bacon or the lardons, then cook until softened.


Drain on kitchen paper and allow to cool in a bowl. Dice and add the ham, grate in the gruyère cheese and mix well. Spread evenly over the cooled pastry case.



Preheat the oven to 190ºC/gas 5.

Whisk the crème fraîche, eggs, egg yolks, milk and nutmeg together in a bowl and season generously. Carefully pour the mixture into the pastry case.


Bake the Quiche in the oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the filling has set and the top is beginning to turn golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin.


For the carrot and parsley salad, grate the carrots, pick and roughly chop the parsley leaves, then combine with the oil and lemon juice in a bowl. Season generously.


Serve with slices of warm Quiche.
Tip
The finished product Read more at http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/eggs-recipes/quiche-lorraine-with-carrot-parsley-salad/#5jvJ6HD5oPHUoosV.99