Bacon and Potato Quiche

The best way is to keep as much moisture as possible away from the pastry. Cook the bacon until crisp, then drain and blot it well with kitchen paper. Parboil the potatoes until just tender, drain them thoroughly, let them steam dry then lightly brown them in the frying pan. Cook the onion and ham before adding them too.

It's also important to blind bake the pastry before adding the filling. For this recipe baking the pastry with weights for 8 to 10 minutes, followed by a few minutes without the weights helps dry and strengthen the base. Brushing the hot pastry with a little beaten egg gives you another layer of protection against the custard soaking into it.

Finally, avoid adding wet ingredients without cooking or draining them first. This is particularly important if you decide to add mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes or other vegetables.

The edges should look set and the top should be lightly golden but the very centre should still have a small gentle jiggle when you carefully move the dish.

It shouldn't look liquid or wobble like a wave. Think of a soft custard that has just about set rather than a completely firm egg mixture.

This is one of the most important things to get right because the pie continues cooking from its own heat after it comes out of the oven. If you wait until the centre is completely firm, the eggs are likely to become dry and rubbery as the dish finishes setting.

Let it rest for at least 20 minutes before cutting. The centre will firm up during this time while keeping the soft creamy texture that makes a good quiche so enjoyable. This is something we learned from experience after numerous baking mistakes in our kitchen.

Yes and it is actually a very good dish to make ahead.

For the best result you can cook the bacon, potatoes, onion and ham in advance and keep them refrigerated in separate covered containers. You can also grate the cheese and prepare the egg and dairy mixture ahead of time.

If you want to prepare the entire uncooked quiche ahead, assemble it, cover it and refrigerate it until you are ready to bake. Try to bake it within about 24 hours so the pastry does not spend too long sitting against the wet filling.

You can also bake the quiche the day before serving. Allow it to cool, cover it and refrigerate it then gently warm it in the oven before serving. This works particularly well for breakfast, brunch or when you are cooking for guests.

Yes. A fully baked bacon 'n' potato quiche can be frozen, although the pastry will usually be a little less crisp after freezing compared to when it's freshly baked.

Let the quiche cool completely first. Wrap it tightly in foil or freezer suitable wrapping and place it in an airtight container or freezer bag. For the best quality use it within about 1 month.

When you want to eat it, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator rather than leaving it on the kitchen counter. Reheat it gently in the oven until warmed through. This helps the custard retain a much nicer texture than reheating it aggressively in the microwave.

If you know you are going to freeze it, slightly underbaking the quiche is not recommended. Bake it fully, allow it to cool and then freeze it once it has completely set. As always we recommend our readers to enjoy your food fresh as possible for the best taste and texture.

Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes are both excellent choices.

Russet potatoes have more starch giving you a fluffy centre while still holding their shape when prepared carefully. Yukon Gold potatoes have a naturally buttery texture and are particularly good if you want slightly creamier pieces of potato throughout the quiche.

For this recipe though the most important thing is actually how you prepare the potatoes rather than the exact variety. Cut them into small even cubes so they cook consistently. Parboil them briefly, drain them very well and let them steam dry before lightly browning them in the pan.

Avoid putting raw potato straight into the pie. It takes longer to cook, can remain firm in the finished dish and can release unwanted moisture into the custard.

Red potatoes can also work well because they hold their shape nicely but avoid very waxy varieties if you want a softer more buttery texture.

Yes and you don't need to use a heavy amount of cream to make a delicious pie.

Milk gives you a lighter custard while cream makes it richer and softer. For this bacon, potato, ham and Gruyère version using a mixture of both gives a particularly good balance because the bacon, cheese and pastry are already quite rich.

The recipe uses 200 ml whole milk with 100 ml double cream for four eggs. That gives you a creamy 'n' tender custard without making the dish excessively heavy.

You can use all whole milk if you prefer a lighter quiche. You can also replace some of the milk with more cream for a richer result but I would avoid making the entire liquid portion cream. With the meat and cheese already providing plenty of richness too much cream can make the finished pie feel unnecessarily heavy.