Bacon Quiche with Leeks Recipe

Bacon-and-Leek Quiche — Photo: © Quentin Bacon

Active Time:

45 mins

Total Time:

2 hrs 30 mins

Yield:

2 10-inch tarts

Frequently asked questions

Should crust be prebaked for quiche?

Yes! A buttery, flaky crust is what sets a traditional quiche apart from other egg dishes; prebaking that crust is essential for achieving one that's golden and crisp instead of sad and soggy. Once you've lined your tart pans with the pastry, chill them to relax the dough and allow the butter to firm up — 10 minutes or longer. Next, simply line the pans with foil, fill with pie weights or dried beans, and bake until the dough is dry. Remove the foil and weights, then return the crusts to the oven and bake until golden.

How long do you let a quiche rest?

Quiche can be eaten either warm or at room temperature, but it does need at least 15 minutes to rest after it's finished baking for the filling to set. If you can wait for the quiche to cool completely, you'll be rewarded with the best-tasting bite because the flavors will have had a chance to fully meld.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

This recipe makes two quiches, so it's an especially great choice if you're hosting brunch for a crowd. You can even prepare them the day before — just cover and refrigerate overnight, then reheat gently before serving. If you'd rather make only one quiche at a time, pop one of the dough disks in the freezer for later and halve the filling ingredients.

Suggested pairing

Winemakers in Bordeaux often blend Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc to produce lightly honeyed, citrusy whites that go very well with rich quiches like the bacon and leek one here.

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Ingredients

Crust

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cubed
1 large egg yolk
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons ice water

Filling

1 pound thickly sliced bacon, cut into 1/2-inch dice
3 large leeks, white and tender green parts only, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon chopped thyme leaves
Kosher salt
Freshly ground white pepper
8 ounces cave-aged Gruyère cheese, shredded
4 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
2 1/2 cups heavy cream or half-and-half

Directions

In a food processor, pulse the 2 1/2 cups of flour with the salt. Add the butter and pulse until it is the size of small peas. Add the egg yolk and ice water and pulse until the pastry is moistened. Turn the pastry out onto a floured work surface and knead two or three times, just until smooth. Pat the pastry into two disks, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375°F. On a floured surface, roll 1 disk of the pastry to a 12-inch round. Ease the pastry into a 10-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom without stretching. Trim the excess and use it to patch any holes. Refrigerate the tart shell for 10 minutes. Repeat with the remaining pastry.
Line the tart shells with foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake the tart shells for 30 minutes, just until dry. Remove the foil and pie weights and bake the crusts for about 15 minutes longer, until they are dry and golden. Transfer the tart pans to two sturdy baking sheets.
In a large skillet, cook the bacon over moderately high heat, stirring, until browned and crisp, about 7 minutes. Drain the bacon, leaving 1 tablespoon of the fat in the pan. Add the leeks and thyme to the skillet, season with salt and white pepper, and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool. Stir in the bacon and cheese.
Divide the bacon-leek filling between the tart shells. In a bowl, whisk the eggs with the egg yolks and heavy cream. Season lightly with salt and white pepper. Pour the custard into the tart shells and bake for about 30 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through for even baking, until puffed and lightly browned. Transfer the quiches to a rack and let cool for 15 minutes. Remove the rings, cut the quiches into wedges, and serve.