Recipe Courtesy of Chef Patrice Rames, Bistro St. Tropez
Ingredients:
- 6 large eggs
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 tbsp. salt
- Black pepper (a couple twists of mill)
- 1 tbsp. fresh ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp. cayenne
- 8 oz. of diced smoked ham
- 1 ½ cup grated gruyere or Swiss cheese
- 4 oz. cooked leeks/caramelized onions
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 3 sprigs fresh parsley
Directions:
- Take your pastry (recipe below) out of refrigerator and let it come to room temperature.
- Butter your mold with a brush or use a high quality spray.
- Then roll the pastry into the mold and with a fork prick to bottom a few times.
- Place molds in the refrigerator to chill for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In large bowl whisk together eggs, milk and herbs and spices.
- Reserve.
- Prebake pastry for 10 minutes in oven.
- Remove, then add gruyere, smoked ham and leeks/onions to bottom of crust and fill with the egg mixture.
- Continue baking for another 15 minutes or so at 350 degrees until eggs set and crust is golden brown.
Pate Brisée (Pastry Dough)
Ingredients:
- 500 grams or 1 lb. 2oz. of all-purpose flour (preferably unbleached) plus extra for rolling
- 250 grams or 8
- .7 oz of unsalted butter
- 100 grams or 3.5 oz of ice cold water
- 2 egg yolks
- 20 grams or .5 oz salt
Directions:
- In large mixing bowl sift the flour and salt.
- Form a well in middle.
- Cut your chilled butter into small cubes and place in the well.
- With fingertips, incorporate butter with the flour.
- Until butter resembles small crumbs.
- Push flour back to side of bowl.
- Add your water in 1 tbsp. stages to the flour incorporating fully.
- Do not over mix/knead.
- Form 2 boules (balls) and place each in film wrap and let rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- Remove from fridge and let dough warm a bit before rolling it out.
Chef’s Tip
Make sure you pierce all sides of the crust in the mold to prevent crust from bubbling.