Quiche Lorraine (Puff Pastry)

Like quiche, this savoury dish has a custard filling; using frozen puff pastry instead of traditional pie dough makes it even simpler to prepare.

¼ lb puff pastry, thawed
8 oz (12 slices) bacon, cut crosswise into ½” strips
1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
3 large eggs
½ cup heavy cream
coarse sea salt
black pepper, freshly cracked
1½ cups (4 oz) Gruyère cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C/180°C fan, Gas Mark 6).

On a lightly floured surface, roll pastry to 10” square (trim the edges with a paring knife). Place pastry into an 8” square baking pan, folding corners to fit. Prick bottom of dough with a fork.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add bacon; cook, stirring occasionally, until pieces start to brown, 4-5 minutes. Add onions; cook, stirring occasionally, until bacon is crisp and onions are lightly browned, 5-7 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer mixture to a plate; let cool slightly.

Scatter onion mixture over pastry. In a small bowl, whisk eggs, cream, ¼ tsp. salt and ⅛ tsp. pepper. Pour egg mixture into pastry shell. Sprinkle Gruyere over top. Bake until filling is set and top is golden brown, about 40 minutes.

Makes 4 servings.

Cook’s Note: If the rolled-out dough becomes too soft to handle, briefly refrigerate it while you prepare the rest of the recipe. This casserole is an excellent dish to serve for brunch.