Quiche Lorraine

Ingredients

For the pastry

• 60g/2oz butter, cut into small pieces
• 60g/2oz lard, cut into small pieces
• 200g/7oz self-raising flour
• pinch salt
• 2-3 tbsp ice-cold water

For the filling

• 8-10 thin rashers good quality smoked streaky bacon
• 4 free-range egg yolks
• 3 free-range eggs
• 400ml/14fl oz whipping cream
• salt and freshly ground white pepper
• freshly grated nutmeg

Method

1. For the pastry, place the butter, lard, flour and salt into a food processor. Pulse the mixture until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs.

2. Place the pastry into a mixing bowl and, using a round-bladed knife, stir in enough water to bind the mixture together. Lightly knead the dough until well amalgamated, dust with flour and slip into a plastic bag. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes before using.

3. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and warm a baking sheet.

4. Roll out the pastry as thinly as possible. Line a 20cm/8in wide by 4cm/1½in deep tart tin and lightly prick the base of the pastry with a fork all over. Place onto a baking tray, line with greased aluminium foil and baking beans and bake blind for 15-20 minutes.

5. Remove the baking beans and foil. Place the tart case back into the oven and cook for a further 10 minutes, or until it is pale golden, crisp and cooked through.

6. Fry the bacon in a dry, non-stick frying pan for 1-2 minutes, or until crisp. Drain onto kitchen paper and spread out evenly over the base of the cooked tart case.

7. Whisk the egg yolks and whole eggs together in a bowl. Stir in the cream and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Pour the mixture into the pastry case and cook for 30-40 minutes, or until nicely puffed and the surface of the custard is pale golden and just set.

8. Eat warm, or at room temperature.