Mini Cheesy Leek and Bacon Quiches

I love quiches. Once you have the technique down they are a snap to make but are oh-so-delicious and so impressive to friends and colleagues who have yet to master them. 


My mum loves it when I come home to visit because she knows it will result in batches and batches of these mini quiches (or large ones for that matter - she is unfussy). 


I pieced together this recipe over time but as with all of my recipes - I am all for creative variations. This one uses a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth shortcrust pastry wrapped around a cheesy leek and bacon filling. They are great for morning teas at work or for a deliciously decadent snack - just pop them in the microwave for 30 seconds and enjoy.


Mini Cheesy Leek and Bacon Quiches


Ingredients:


For the pastry:

3 cups flour
250g (5oz) butter
3-5 tablespoons iced water

For the filling:

1 tbsp butter

2 leeks

4 rashers bacon

4 eggs

1/2 cup thickened cream

2 cups grated tasty cheese

Method:

Process the flour and butter in a food processor until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs

While the motor is running, add enough iced water to form a smooth dough.

Knead very lightly, them wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30minutes. For mini quiches, take small ball of pastry and roll them out into small rounds. Gentry place in muffin tins or small pie tins (I use muffin tins and they work a treat!) Back in a 180 degree Celsius oven for 15 minutes.

**** If you are making a large quiche, roll the pastry out on a lightly-floured surface until 3mm (1/8in) thick. I roll the pastry out between two sheets of baking paper to avoid sticking (to the rolling pin or the counter!) and it makes the transfer to the pie dish much easier. Top the pastry lined pie dish with a piece of non-stick baking paper, and weigh down with beans or rice (do not attempt to cook and eat the beans after use as blind baking weights - keep them in an airtight jar or container and use them again next time you make pastry). Bake in an oven preheated at 180C for ten minutes. Remove the weights and paper, and bake for another 5 minutes or until the pastry is golden.****

While the pastry is blind baking, prepare the filling. Chop the leaks into rounds or short strips. Dice the bacon. Heat the butter over medium heat (making sure not to burn it) add the leeks and sauté briefly, add the bacon cook until both the leeks and bacon are soft and smell so good you'll want to eat it all on its own. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

Crack eggs into a large mixing bowl and whisk lightly. Whisk in cream and then add cheese and leek and bacon mixture. 

Spoon carefully into pastry cases. Bake for between 20-40 minutes (I find it can vary greatly from oven to oven) until the filling is puffed up a little and completely set - i.e. when you give them a juggle you can't see any liquid and movement is minimal.

Remove from oven and using a butter knife or fork gently ease them out of the muffin trays and leave to rest on a cooling rack. Store in the fridge and reheat in the microwave. Can last up to 3 - 4 days in the fridge.

Makes 12 or so.

*** Feel free to mix and match your filling - for vegetarians I choose mushrooms and leeks with cheese topped with tomato slices, but almost any mix of vegetables can work in a quiche. I find cheese is the key ingredient - so scrumptious.