Goat Cheese and Bacon Quiche
A savory leek bacon and goat cheese quiche is a great lunch or light dinner option for these warm summery days. The ultra creamy filling is baked in a buttery, thyme infused pastry crust.
Servings: 12 servings
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour 300 grams
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1½ sticks butter cold; cut into thin slices
- 1 egg yolk lightly beaten
- 6 to 7 tablespoons cold water
For the Filling:
- 8 ounces thick-cut bacon cut into ½ inch pieces
- 2 leeks thinly sliced, white and light green parts only
- 6 large eggs
- 1½ cups whole milk
- 10 ounce goat cheese softened
- 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- For the Pastry Crust: 11-inch tart pan with removable bottom
- In a food processor, add the flour, salt, dried thyme and butter. Pulse the mixture until small pebble-size pieces of butter are visible. Whisk the egg yolk and the cold water together and pulse quickly until the mixture just begins to come together in a ball.
- Transfer the mixture to a lightly floured surface and press into a ball with your hands. Do not knead the pastry dough. Flatten the ball into a smooth disk about 1-½ inches thick and wrap it in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F
- Remove the chilled pastry dough from the refrigerator and roll into a circle, (about 14-inches). Carefully fit the pastry into a 11-inch removable bottom quiche pan, fitting the dough into the edges of the pan with the back of a curled finger. Trim the dough about 1-inch and fold to the inside, creating a double thickness on the rim. Press and crimp all around the rim of the pan. Poke holes with a fork to the inside bottom and rim and place in the freezer for 30 minutes.
- Spray a piece of foil with non-stick oil and press firmly against the frozen pastry. Fill with pie weights or dry beans. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 10-minutes. Transfer to the workspace and remove the pie weights and foil. If the sides appear to have slumped, press back into shape with the back of a spoon.
- Return the baking sheet with the pastry crust to the oven and bake an additional 6-minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F for the Filling:
- In a large skillet, cook the bacon over moderately high heat, stirring, until browned and crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Discard the fat in the skillet, reserving 2 tablespoons of fat in the skillet.
- Add the sliced leeks to the skillet, cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool.
- Reserve 2 tablespoons of crisp bacon and add the remainder to the bowl with the leeks, tossing to combine. Spread the bacon-leek mixture into the bottom of the quiche shell, then set the quiche onto a baking sheet.
- In a blender or food processor, combine the eggs, milk and goat cheese, process until well combined. Add the cream and process until smooth. Season lightly with salt and pepper and carefully, pour the custard over the bacon and leeks.
- Sprinkle the top with the reserved bacon, transfer the baking sheet with the quiche to the middle of the oven.
- Bake for about 40 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through for even baking, until puffed at the edges and lightly browned all over. The center should still be a little jiggly but will firm up as it cools. Transfer the quiches to a rack and let cool for 15 minutes. Remove the outside rim and cut the quiche into slices and serve.
Notes
Blind-bake: Prick the pastry shell with a fork, freeze briefly, then line with foil and fill with pastry weights or beans before baking. This helps prevent shrinkage.
Bake gently: Quiche needs a low 325°F bake. Remove it when the edges are set, the top is golden, and the center still has a slight jiggle. It will firm up as it cools.
Store in the fridge: Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Freeze for later: Place the cooked quiche on a baking sheet to freeze solid, then wrap in plastic and seal in a freezer bag. It keeps well for 3–4 months.
Reheat from frozen: Thaw overnight in the fridge, cover with foil, and warm in a 350°F oven for 15–20 minutes, until the center reaches 165°F.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 368kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 194mg | Sodium: 707mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g
