The Best Cheesy Bacon & Veg Tart (Eggless “Quiche Lorraine”)
Ok, my French passport might be recalled after this recipe – but it’s all for a good (and very very delicious) cause, I promise. I very nearly had the audacity to call this an “eggless Quiche Lorraine” outright. But the truth is, as any good French person would tell me, there is no such thing. It’s an oxymoron. If it doesn’t contain eggs, it’s not a quiche!
But I LOVE quiche lorraine. And I make a pretty awesome one, if I do say so myself.
The problem is, eggs are one of the most common allergens. We eat them daily, but many people (and many children) cannot. And they should not miss out on the deliciousness that is a quiche Lorraine. No one should.
Plus, this is (dare I say it) even better than your average Quiche Lorraine. Far creamier, far cheesier, far yummier.
True story.
Seriously guys, whether you call it a quiche or a tart, the point is, it tastes absolutely ah-mazing! And it makes a regular feature in our meal plan. Because…YUM.
My eggless "Quiche Lorraine" - delicious, creamy, very cheesy. A kid-friendly way to get more vegetables into your day.
- 250 g (1 and 2/3 cups) wholegrain spelt flour (or use wholewheat or a mix of all-purpose/plain and wholewheat/spelt)
- pinch of salt
- 110 g (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
- cold milk or water, to bring the dough together
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp plain (all-purpose) or wholemeal flour
- 500 ml (2 cups) full-fat milk
- pinch of ground nutmeg
- salt & pepper
- 50 g (1/2 cups) hard cheese like Cheddar, grated
- 1 pack (about 200g/7oz) bacon lardons
- 2 trimmed leeks, finely sliced
- 200 g (1 cup) broccoli florets (frozen defrosted is fine)
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Preheat oven to 190C/375F/gas 5. In a food processor, pulse the flour, salt and butter together a few times to mix the butter into the flour. Turn the mixer on and pour a tiny bit of cold milk or water through the spout until the mixture just starts to come together as a dough.
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Roll the dough out on a floured surface and press into a greased tart tin (or two if using smaller (not mini) ones). Top with a layer of tin foil or greaseproof paper and baking beans or uncooked rice, then bake in the oven for 10 mins. Remove the foil and beans and return to the oven for 5 more mins, until the pastry case is just looking cooked but not golden.
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Meanwhile, make the filling: melt the butter in a large saucepan and whisk in the flour. Allow to cook out for 30 secs before slowly pouring in the milk, little by little, whisking the entire time (make sure the milk is fully incorporated each time you add more). Whisk in the nutmeg and season with salt & pepper, then stir through the cheese until it is melted. Take off the heat.
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Fry the bacon lardons and leeks in a little coconut oil or butter for a few mins until soft and cooked. Steam the broccoli in the microwave or in a steamer for about 5-8 mins, until cooked but not totally soft. Mix the bacon, leeks and broccoli with the cheese sauce then pour everything into the cooked pastry case. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 mins, until set. Serve warm or cold (warmer means more melty and cheesy!), ideally with a yummy salad or homemade sugar free coleslaw.
This looks great. How much flour for the filling? I can’t see it on the recipe list?! Thanks.
Ooh, good spot Anna! Sorry, it should say 3 tbsp flour – it’s always the same amount as the butter for a white sauce. 🙂 I’ll change it now!