Quiche Lorraine
Comfort food. Everyone has their favorite. That meal that takes you back to your childhood, that eases away the tensions of the day, that soothes the soul. What comes to mind for you? Meatloaf and mashed potatoes, perhaps? A hearty stew? Fried chicken? Mac n'cheese?
For me, it’s something eggy and cheesy, and so, quiche fits the bill - a rich and creamy concoction of milk, cheese and eggs and whatever vegetable happens to be around.
It’s super versatile, quiche. You can easily substitute any vegetable you have that needs to be eaten up. I usually always have some spinach around, and love that with some cheese and bacon. In this case, I actually had some prosciutto that needed to be eaten, so I used that instead.
Making the crust yourself is easy and totally worth it. This recipe for creating your own flaky, buttery crust is perfect for any sort of savory pie. Take the trouble, if you can even call it that, and make your own crust. Delicious when hot out of the oven!
Although quiche is now a classic dish of French cuisine, it actually originated in Germany, in the medieval kingdom of Lothringen. This region between Germany and France has gone back and forth in terms of possession, but when it was under German rule it was called Lothringen. Later the French renamed it Lorraine. The word 'quiche' is from the German 'Kuchen', meaning cake.
Lothringen, or Lorraine, lies at the German/ French border.
The original Quiche Lorraine was an open pie with a filling consisting of eggs and cream with smoked bacon. It was only later that cheese was added to it. Add onions and you have Quiche Alsacienne. (In Germany, there is a wonderful dish called Zwiebelkuchen or "onion cake", that I adore). Though the bottom crust was originally made from bread dough, it has long since evolved into a short-crust or puff pastry crust. Though fillings vary, they are all variations on the same theme: a fantastically flaky buttery crust holding in place a custard of eggs and cheese. Comfort food at its finest; at least to me.
Here’s my favorite version.
Quiche Lorraine
1 pastry crust (see below)
10 strips of bacon, crisply cooked, drained and crumbled
1 1/4 cups (about 8 oz) diced or grated Swiss or Gruyere cheese
a handful or two of washed and dried raw spinach leaves (optional)
4 eggs
1 3/4 cups whipping cream or half-and-half or a combination of either and some milk
Salt, freshly ground black pepper and nutmeg
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Make the Crust:
In a bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour and 1/4 tsp. salt. Add 1/2 cup (1/4 lb.) plus 2 Tbsp. butter, cut into chunks; mix to coat with flour. With your fingers or pastry blender, rub or cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles fine crumbs. Add 1 egg and stir with a fork until dough holds together. Shape dough into a ball. On a floured board, roll out dough and fit into a 10-inch quiche pan or pie pan. Make dough flush with top rim, folding excess dough down against pastry-lined side and pressing firmly in place. Flute edge decoratively.
Make the Filling:
Crisp the bacon, then drain on paper towels. Grate the cheese. Beat the eggs and cream until just blended. Season with salt and pepper.
Scatter bacon in pastry shell, then sprinkle with the cheese. Pour egg mixture into shell, then sprinkle with just the slightest hint of nutmeg. Bake for an hour until quiche is slightly puffed and appears set when gently shaken. Let stand 10 - 15 minutes before cutting into wedges. Or let cool completely and serve at room temperature.
Excellent served with a green salad and a glass of white wine.
If made ahead, cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before using or reheat gently in the oven.
#quichelorraine #realmendoeatquiche #quicheisbetterhomemade
