*Gruyere and Bacon Quiche*
Serves 8 Delicious through and through, but with only half the calories and a third of a fat of a regular quiche! For the crust: 4 slices of streaky bacon 175g of plain flour (1 1/4 cups) 45g of finely grated Parmesan cheese (1/4 cup) 1 TBS sugar 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp black pepper 3 TBS olive oil 60ml ice water (1/4 cup) For the filling: 312 ml of buttermilk (1 1/3 cups) 70ml whole milk (1/3 cup) 5 large free range eggs 4 tsp corn flour (cornstarch) 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp black pepper 30g grated Gruyere Cheese (1/4 cup) First make the crust. Cut the bacon slices in half through the middle. Cook in a medium skillet until semi crisp over medium heat, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove and set aside on a plate lined with paper towel. Measure out and reserve 1 TBS of the fat. Place the flour, 1 TBS of the Parmesan cheese, sugar, salt and pepper in a food processor. Blitz to combine. Add the oil and reserved bacon fat. Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse polenta, about 12 pulses. Add the water and process just until the dough begins to clump into large pieces. Spray a 9 inch tart tin (with a removable base) with low fat cooking spray. Add the dough and press it evenly over the bottom and up the sided of the tin, Crimp edge. Wrap loosely in cling film and freeze for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Line the crust with a square of buttered aluminium foil and fill with pie weights, baking beans or rice. Bake until the top edge of the crust just begins to colour, about half an hour. remove the foil and weights from the crust and sprinkle evenly with the reamaining Parmesan cheese. Bake about 5 to 7 minutes longer to melt. Remove from the oven. Whisk together the buttermilk, whole milk, eggs, cornflour, salt and black pepper until smooth. Stir in the Gruyere cheese. Place the tart tin on a baking sheet and carefully pour the egg mixture into it. Lay the bacon pieces over top in a decorative manner. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until just set and a knife inserted 1 inch from the edge comes out clean. Let stand for 15 minutes prior to serving. Calories per serving - 250 14g fat, 4.5 g saturated fat |
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