Savoury Pastry Crust For Quiche Recipes

SAVOURY SHORTCRUST PASTRY FOR QUICHES AND TARTS

Steps:

• Place the Flour and Salt in the bowl of your Food processor and pulse to mix.
• Add the very cold Butter, cut into small cubes, and slowly pulse to blend it into the flour until you get a thin crumb like consistency.
• While pulsing, slowly add the very cold Water a little bit at the time. Stop as soon as the dough comes together (see note 1) and transfer over a sheet of baking paper on your kitchen bench.
• Assemble the dough into a ball and gently flatten it with your hands. Place a second sheet of baking paper over it, and leave to rest for about 10 minutes.
• Roll the Pastry into a large circle (see note 2) about 4mm - 1/8 inch thick. Place the tart pan over it to check it is rolled wide enough to fill it.
• Place the rolled pastry over a flat tray and leave in the fridge to rest for at least 1 hour (or up to 24 hours).
• Remove the two baking sheets and place the rolled pastry inside the Quiche/Tart Pan. Gently slide down the pastry along the sides of the pans, then press it against the pan so that it sticks to it. Remove any excess with a small pairing knife or rolling pin (see note 3).
• Poke the bottom of the pastry with a fork, then place back in the fridge to rest for at least 1 hour (or up to 24 hours). Just before baking the pastry, place it in the freezer (for at least 15 minutes) to make sure the butter is extremely cold, almost frozen.
• Bake according to the recipe instructions - either blind-baked for 20 minutes at 180'C/350'F filled with baking paper and baking weights (beads, dried beans, rice etc...) or directly with the filling.

QUICHE CRUST / SHORTCRUST PASTRY FOR PIES

Steps:

• Place flour, salt and butter in a food processor.
• Pulse 10 times or until it looks like breadcrumbs.
• With the motor running on low, pour 2.5 tbsp of water into the tube feeder.
• Turn up to high and blitz for 30 seconds or until it turns into a ball of dough. Initially it will look like breadcrumbs, then it will turn into a ball of soft dough - some random escaped bits is fine. If it doesn't look like its coming together at 20 seconds, add another 1/2 tbsp of water. Don't blitz longer than 30 seconds at most.
• Form a disc, wrap in cling wrap. If there are escaped crumble bits, that's fine - just press them in. Refrigerate for 1 - 3 hours.
• Preheat oven to 200C/390F (standard) or 180C/350F (fan forced)
• Sprinkle work surface with flour, unwrap dough and place on the flour. Sprinkle top with flour, then roll out into a 27cm/11" round.
• Gently roll the pastry so it wraps around the rolling pin.
• Unroll it over the quiche pan or pie dish - 23cm / 9".
• Press the pastry into the edges of the quiche pan, patching up edges if required (if pastry doesn't quite reach top of rim).
• Roll the rolling pin across the top to cut off the excess pastry.
• Optional extra "safe measure" refrigeration - 15 minutes. See (Note 2).
• Place a large piece of parchment paper over the pastry, then fill with baking beads or lots of rice or dried beans to weigh it down. (Note 3)
• Bake for 20 minutes, then remove from oven.
• Turn oven DOWN to 180C/350F (or 160C/320F fan).
• Use excess paper to CAREFULLY remove hot beads, then return to oven for 10 minutes or until base is light golden.
• Remove from oven and fill with chosen Quiche Filling. Quiche Lorraine, Salmon Quiche, Italian Sausage or your other filling of choice.
• The pastry will not be 100% cooked, it finishes cooking with the filling. It's cooked enough so the crust will not go soggy.

SAVORY PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Place the flour, salt, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse to combine. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. While the machine is running, gradually drizzle in the water, processing until the dough comes together to form a ball.
• Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and shape it into a flat disk. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

SAVOURY PASTRY CRUST FOR QUICHE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200C/400°F.
• Sift the flour,salt and garlic powder into a mixing bowl.
• Add the parsley and seeds and stir to combine with a fork.
• Using a pastry blender (or your fingers) cut in the lard and butter until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
• Sprinkle in the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing lightly with your fingertips or a fork until the dough forms a ball.
• Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface.
• Place it carefully into a 10-inch quiche dish or loose-bottomed tart pan, easing the pastry in and being careful to to stretch it.
• I prefer to leave the excess dough and not trim it until after it's baked to allow for any shrinkage, but that is up to you.
• Line the pastry case with greaseproof paper and weigh it down with pastry weights or dried beans.
• Bake 10 minutes.
• Remove the paper and weights and return to oven.
• Bake an additional 5 minutes until the pastry is set and beige in color.
• Use the flat side of a palette knife to press down on the edge of the tart pan to remove the excess crust. (This is the part that I eat!).
• Remove to cooling rack until ready to fill.

EASY QUICHE LORRAINE RECIPE BY MARY BERRY

Steps:

• First make the pastry: tip the flour into a large mixing bowl. Add the margarine or butter and rub in gently with fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add 3 tablespoons cold water until the pastry comes together in a ball.
• Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and use it to line a 20cm (8in) loose-bottomed flan tin. Ideally, use a fluted tin.
• Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 220˚C. Prick the pastry case all over with a fork, to prevent air bubbles forming during baking. Line the base and sides with baking parchment and weigh it down with baking beans. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the beans and paper and bake the empty case for a further 10 minutes, or until the base is lightly browned. Trim the overhanging pastry.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 180˚C. Crisp the bacon in a sauté pan over a medium heat for 10 minutes. Transfer to the cooled pastry case with a slotted spoon. Leave the juices in the pan.
• Place the onion in the pan and cook over a medium heat for 8 minutes or until golden. Add to the quiche Lorraine and top with the cheese.
• In a bowl, combine the eggs, cream, salt and pepper, then pour into the quiche. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden and just set. Be careful not to overcook the quiche, or the filling will become tough and full of holes.