Hash Brown Crust Quiche Lorraine

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425F/220C with the oven shelf in the top 1/3 of the oven.
2. Grease a 9"/ 23cm pie dish (Note 2)
3. If shredding potatoes yourself, peel and grate the potatoes. Place the shredded potatoes into a colander and rinse for 10 seconds, using your hands to move the grated potatoes around, until the water runs clear.
4. Take a handful of the rinsed grated potatoes OR the thawed frozen shredded hash browns and squeeze the excess water out, then place into a large bowl. Repeat with remaining potato. You should have about 4 cups of shredded potato.
5. Add melted butter and salt and mix to combine.
6. Pour the shredded potato into the pie dish. Use a large dessert spoon to spread the hash browns over the base and side of the pie dish.
7. Use your hands or a spatula to pat down the base of the hash brown crust so it is fairly firmly packed.
8. Spray the hash brown crust with oil spray (I used olive oil spray).
9. Bake the crust for 30 minutes.
10. While the crust is baking, melt 1/2 tbsp butter in a fry pan over medium high heat.
11. Add onion, garlic and bacon into the fry pan. Saute until the onion is translucent and the bacon is just starting to brown (but not crisp).
12. Remove from the stove and set aside to cool slightly.
13. Place Egg Mixture ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine.
14. When the crust is light golden brown on the surface of the base and golden brown on the walls of the crust (around 30 minutes), remove from the oven.
15. Scatter the bacon onion mixture across the base, then the cheese.
16. Then pour the Egg Mixture in.
17. Return the quiche to the oven and turn the oven down to 180C/350F.
18. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the Filling is set. Test this either by inserting a skewer into the centre (it should come out clean) or by touching the centre gently (it should spring back).
19. Let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.