Bonjour, Paris

 

I spent last weekend in Paris and I enjoyed it very very much. Not only is Paris a beautiful city with amazing sights and places to see but of course, it is also a true gourmand destination. I love French cuisine and I love the way French people think of and enjoy food.

The French take time for food; they don’t eat on the run and they eat for pleasure. They don’t look at the calories but they still keep their figures. And they are right, food is to enjoy!

What I loved about Paris are the small boulangeries, patisseries, cafés, charcuteries and other specialised shops everywhere. They induce such a lovely atmosphere and allure. Who would resist?

 

France is famous for food and everyone who gets there should try its gastronomic treats like foie gras, coq au vin, cheese and wine and not to forget the sweet treats like Crème Brûlée or Mousse au Chocolat. I personally also love quiche (even though its origins are said to be in Germany, nowadays it is considered to be a truly French dish) and whenever I want to bring a little bit of the French gastronomic spirit into my kitchen, I make different variants of this ‘open savoury cake’. Here is one of my favourite recipes:

Quiche with Leeks, Bacon & Rosemary

For the pastry you will need:

175g plain white flour

85g cold diced butter

2tbsp iced water

Pinch of salt

1. Put the flour (175g), a pinch of salt and the cold diced butter (85g) into a bowl.
2. Using your fingers, rub it all together until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
3. Then add the water (2tbsp) and gather the dough together into a ball.
4. Wrap it in a cling film and allow to chill for about 30 minutes in the fridge. 

      5.   Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured cool work surface into a large 3-5mm thick 
            circle and carefully unroll it across a 23cm tart ring. Use your fingers to press the 
            pastry into the ring so that you achieve a smooth fit.
      6.   Put the pastry into a 190°C preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes.

 TIPS FOR A PERFECT SHORTCRUST PASTRY

•  When making a pastry, make sure everything is as cold as possible - ice cold water and cold hands (I always put my hands into a bowl of cold water before making a pastry).
• Before putting the pastry into the oven, prick it all over with a fork - this will prevent the pastry to inflate.
• Also, for the first 10 minutes, bake the pastry covered with a baking paper filled with dried beans - this will also help us prevent the bubbles to occur in the pastry.

For the filling you will need: 

2 whole eggs + 1 extra yolk
275ml double cream
Pinch of nutmeg
Little bit of salt and pepper
Fresh or dried rosemary (according to taste)

150g bacon
1,5 bigger leaks
100g grated cheese (Sort of Edam, Gruyere cheese)

1. Chop the bacon and fry until crisp. Add the leeks to the pan and allow to soften for 5 minutes.
2. Whisk the eggs (2 whole eggs + 1 yolk), double cream (275ml), nutmeg, little bit of salt and pepper together. Add the rosemary.
3. Scatter the bacon, the leeks and the cheese onto the pre-baked pastry and pour the liquid filling over the top.
4. Return to the oven and bake for another 45 minutes or until golden and set.

Enjoy!

 

Posted in: light meals and snacks