Quiche
By Cat, June 2009 (Photo, right, from Wikimedia Commons)
This pastry is more rich than the Standard American Pie Crust, due to the addition of a whole egg, similar to other European pie pastry recipes such as the French Pastry Sucrée or Italian Pasta Frolla. The use of egg in the pastry makes it even more flakey and melt-in-your-mouth.
You can use all white flour or a blend of white and whole grain flour. Note that if using spelt instead of wheat, you will need less water. I recommend starting with 3 Tbsp, then adding more as needed, 1 tsp at a time.
- See also: 1. Savory Pies & Tarts Menu; 2. Pie & Tart Crust or Pastry Menu; 3. Basic Quiche (About)
- Includes: 1. Recipe for 10″ quiche pan or 9″ deep dish pan; 2. Adaptation for 7.5″ ceramic pie pan
French Quiche Crust
This pâte brisée recipe is from Simca’s Cuisine by Simone Beck (see Beloved Cookbooks for more about this book), and is suitable for a 10″ quiche pan or a 9″ deep dish pie pan.
NOTE: the amount of water and olive oil is dependent on size and quality of the egg yolk.
Ingredients & Equipment:
- 1 ⅔ cup unbleached white flour (or 1 cup hard white whole wheat flour and 2/3 cup unbleached white flour)
- pinch of unrefined sea salt
- 8 Tbsp (¼ pound or 1 stick) chilled butter; add more as needed, ½ Tbsp at a time
- 1 egg yolk
- 4 Tbsp cold filtered water, or more as needed
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- Equipment
- medium bowl
- pastry blender (or pastry fork, or 2 knives)
- 10″ quiche pan or 9″ deep dish pie pan
Adaptation for my 7.5″ ceramic pie pan:
This allows a bit extra pastry to build a taller crimped edge.
- ¾ cup plus 2 Tbsp unbleached white flour (or ¾ cup whole wheat flour plus 2 Tbsp unbleached white flour)
- pinch of salt
- 4 – 4½ Tbsp butter (start with 4 Tbsp; add more, 1 tsp at a time as needed, after cutting into flour)
- yolk of 1 medium egg (save white for another use)
- 1½ – 2 Tbsp cold, filtered water (when mixing, start with 1½ Tbsp, then add more, ½ tsp at a time as needed for dough to form a ball.
- 2 tsp olive oil
Method:
- Measure flour and salt into medium bowl. Cut chilled butter into tiny bits, into the bowl of flour. Using a pastry blender, fork, or 2 knives, cut butter into the flour to the texture of oatmeal; add more butter, 1 tsp at a time as needed.
- Beat the yolk with cold water and oil. Make a well in the center of the flour/butter mixture and pour in the egg mixture. Mix with a fork, then use hands to press dough into a ball. Wrap in waxed paper and chill until firm, at least 20 minutes. It will keep like this for 3-4 days, refrigerated, and can also be frozen.
- When ready to make the quiche, roll the pastry into a round, fit into pan and flute the edge so that it stands above the top of the pan.
- Alternately, press the crumb-crust into the pan, and press some above the top of the pan.
- To pre-bake crust: Prick the bottom in several places with a fork, and refrigerate to firm again before baking. Bake in preheated 425°F oven 10 – 12 minutes until crisp and very lightly colored. Set aside to cool slightly, while you prepare the filling.
Testing:
4/5/15: Made smaller version for 8″ glass pyrex pie pan. Sifted ½ cup whole wheat and 3/8 cup unbleached white flour (⅞ cup total) with salt. Cut in 3 Tbsp butter, then added small yolk mixed with 2 tsp each olive oil and water. It was too dry and would not gather into a ball. I cut in another 1 ½ Tbsp butter, but still not moist enough so added another 1 tsp each olive oil and water total 3 tsp each). It formed a ball so I wrapped it and let it rest on cool counter for several hours, then chilled in fridge for 20 minutes. It broke into small pieces when I tried to roll it, even after warming a bit, so mixed in another ½ Tbsp each water & oil, and that did the trick. Totals: ⅞ cup flour, dash salt, 4 ½ Tbsp butter, 1 small yolk, 1 ½ Tbsp each olive oil and water. Updated recipe accordingly. Pricked and pre-baked formed crust 10 minutes. Used for Salmon & Leek Quiche/Tart; The crust stood up along the fluted edge and browned golden nicely during baking of quiche. Fairly flakey despite the mixing difficulties…
References:
- Simca’s Cuisine by Simone Beck (see Beloved Cookbooks for more about this book)
