Use a fork to gently prick the base and side of the pie crust. Place the pie crust on a baking sheet or a baking tray with removable base.
9 inch pie crust
When the oven is hot, place the pie crust onto the middle shelf and cook for 10 – 12 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. Remove from the oven and reduce the heat to 325F/165C/Gas Mark 3.
While the crust is baking, place a frying pan over a medium heat and add the oil. Once hot, add the bacon and fry, stirring often until nicely cooked. Transfer the cooked bacon to kitchen paper to drain any excess fat.
1 tbsp olive oil, 8 rashers smoked back bacon
If there is a lot of fat from the bacon drain most away leaving about 1 tablespoon worth left. Keep the fat in a heat proof container as its full of flavour and ideal to fry with.
Add the shallots and cook over a medium low heat until softened and partially clear but not coloured. This usually is about 4 – 5 minutes. Remove from the heat a drain on kitchen paper.
2 medium shallots
In a mixing bowl, add the cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg and the eggs and whisk together thoroughly. If you are adding paprika or cayenne, then do it now.
4 large eggs, 1 pinch nutmeg, 300 ml cream, ¼ tsp salt, ½ tsp ground pepper
Keeping the crust on the baking sheet/tray, add the shallots over the base then sprinkle about half of the bacon over and then 80% of the finely grated cheese. Then add the other half of the bacon spreading it evenly over the cheese.
5 oz gruyere
Now add the cream/egg mixture gently pouring it over all of the bacon, cheese etc. Top it off with the remaining grated cheese.
Finally add the chopped plum tomatoes into the egg/cream mixture scattering the around.
8 large plum tomatoes
Place the quiche into the oven and bake. After 45 minutes test the egg mixture, if its set then it is done otherwise leave for a further 5 minutes and check again.
Remove from the oven and serve either hot or cold with chips, salad, on its own and a lot more options.