Preheat oven to 400°F/205°C/Gas Mark 6.

Make the crust. In a large bowl stir together the flour and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter until crumbly. Then add water and mix with your hands until smooth.

Roll dough out to 1/8” (3 mm) thick. Place in a 9” (23 cm) spring-form pan (shown here), tart pan or deep dish pie pan. Press dough up the side of the pan at least 1 1/2” (4 cm). Pierce the dough all over with a fork.

Either use pie weights to hold to dough in place before baking or aluminum foil. If using foil, spread a very thin layer of butter onto a 18” - 19” (45 cm - 48 cm) piece of aluminum foil. Place the foil, butter side down on top of the dough that’s already in the pan. This will keep hold the dough in it’s place while baking.

Bake this for 15-20 minutes or until dough is fully cooked.

Remove the foil from the dough and let cool completely. Reduce the oven to 375°F/190°C/Gas Mark 5.

Beat eggs, cream, salt, and white pepper in a large bowl. Chop the bacon and chives, shred the cheese and add everything to the egg mixture. Pour this mixture into the pan with the cooled pie shell. You may have to redistribute some of the ingredients if they are not even. Place this on a sheet pan just in case anything drips out of the pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until it’s starting to slightly brown and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

I like to garnish with chive blossoms when in season, or other edible flowers such as marigolds or zinnias.