Caramelized Onion Quiche

This quiche tasted so good, that I just had to have a glass of wine with it. This particular recipe takes quiche to a whole new level. Just imagine it – crisp, buttery pastry, layers of soft, sweet, caramelized onions and finally some delicious, nutty Gruyere cheese with pillow soft eggs.This recipe does take a little time to make, with the onions taking nearly an hour to caramelize, but the end result is so delicious and divine, you won’t mind the effort.

This quiche tastes great straight from the oven with the cheese all melted and gooey. Any leftovers can be saved in the fridge and served the next day with a salad. Sadly I had no leftovers, as the entire quiche was devoured within minutes.

So, If you are wondering what you should have for supper tonight, just think about the humble quiche, and those soft caramelized onions and that melting Gruyere cheese.

Ingredients

Pastry

• 100g plain flour
•  50g of butter – cubed
•  a pinch of salt
• 1 and ½ tablespoons of cold water

Caramelized Onions

• 2 large Onions 
• 1 and ½ tablespoons of olive oil
• ½  tablespoon of balsamic vinegar 
• Salt and Pepper

Quiche

• 75g of Gruyere cheese
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 100ml of milk
• 2 tablespoons of crème fraiche
• 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
• Salt and pepper

Garnish

• Fresh chives

Method

1. Lightly grease an 8 inch quiche tin. To make the pastry, first sieve the flour into a bowl.  Next, add the diced butter and a pinch of salt to the flour. Rub the butter into the flour until it resembles bread crumbs. Then mix in the water, and bring the pastry into a ball of dough using your hands. Wrap the pastry in some cling wrap and leave to rest in the fridge for twenty to thirty minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in the saucepan over a medium high heat. Peel and slice the onions in half. Then slice the onions into thin strips. Add the onions and the vinegar to the olive oil and heat over a medium high heat until the onions are soft and translucent (about 10 minutes).
3. Then turn the heat down to medium/ low and continue to cook the onions for a further 40 -45 minutes. Stir the onions from time to time to ensure they are getting an even color. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
4. Once the pastry has rested, preheat the oven to 350F / 180 C. Roll the pastry out on a floured surface and line the prepared tin with the pastry.  Lightly prick the base of the pastry with a fork. Then, put the pastry case back in the fridge for 10 minutes to rest. Once the pastry has rested place a circle of parchment on the pastry and fill with baking beads / rice. This  is called baking blind and will prevent the pastry from puffing up in the oven. Bake the pastry blind for 15 minutes. Then, take the pastry case from the oven and remove the parchment and baking beads. Then, cook the pastry case for a further 10 minutes. The pastry at this stage should be golden and just starting to brown. Allow the pastry to cool while you prepare the quiche mixture.
5. Put the the beaten eggs, milk, crème fraiche, mustard, salt and pepper into a bowl and beat well together with a fork.
6. Fill the pastry case with half the grated cheese. Then spoon the caramelized onions on top.
7. Next, pour the egg mixture on top, followed by the remainder of the grated cheese.
8. Place the quiche in the oven and cook for 30-35 minutes. To test if it is cooked place a knife in the center of the quiche. If the knife comes out clean, the quiche is cooked.
9. You can serve this quiche hot or cold. I sprinkled some freshly chopped chives on mine and served with a salad.