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The Quiche Lorraine is one of the most French famous pies that you can find everywhere now, even in the frozen aisle of your grocery store.
It is also one of my favorite savory pies from my native region of Lorraine in Eastern France (hence its name). It's a savory pie that I used to eat mostly as a main dish at least once by week accompanied by a green salad.
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What is a Quiche Lorraine?
Originally, around the 16th century, the quiche was made with bread dough and a thin filling called "migaine", a mix of eggs and crème fraîche. At this time, it was more of a rustic dish and the cooking was frugal and simple. It was more commonly served as a main dish rather than an appetizer like today.
It is only in the 19th century that Lorrainians added lardons, a thick piece of lean smoked bacon cut into ¼ inch matchsticks (also known as French-cut).
You will notice that there is no cheese at all in the Traditional Quiche Lorraine. I know it is tempting to add cheese but, if you want to stay close to the authentic version, save it for another type of quiche. In fact, if you add some cheese, this will take away the softness of the filling, giving it a different texture and taste.
The contemporary quiche is thicker compared to the historical version. When out of the oven, the filling must be served "chevelotte", meaning not overcooked and slightly jiggly.
Ingredients for the Quiche Lorraine
To make this recipe you will need:
- pâte brisée: homemade is always the best in taste
- smoked bacon: it is important that the bacon is smoked so that it gives flavor to the quiche filling
- eggs: large eggs
- cream: it is not always easy to find crème fraîche so I tend to use heavy whipping cream or heavy cream instead. For a lighter version, you can use a mix of cream and milk or half-and-half, but it will slightly affect the texture and taste of the quiche. The quiche will be less puffy.
- nutmeg: do not forget it, enhances the flavor of the filling
- salt
- black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F.
- Grease a tart pan (11-inch).
- Lightly flour a flat surface and a rolling pin. Roll out the dough and precisely fit it in a tart pan (11 inches). Poke the dough all over with a fork. Then put the pie in the fridge until ready to use.
- Meanwhile, in a pan, cook the bacon over medium heat until slightly browned. Then drain the bacon in a food strainer or on a paper towel. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
- Remove your tart pan from the fridge. Sprinkle the bacon on the bottom of the pie. Pour the egg into the tart.
- Bake at 375 F for about 30 minutes or until lightly golden.
Variations
- I prefer the more classic version of Quiche Lorraine, so I tend to make mine thin by using an 11-inch tart pan. I find it lighter this way. But if you prefer a deeper quiche feel free to use a 9-inch tart pan instead.
- As I told you, the Quiche Lorraine is made mainly with cream and a few eggs. Not too many eggs, it is not a frittata or omelet on a crust. However, the recipe has evolved and it is acceptable to make the filling with a mix of cream and milk.
More recipes like this
Traditional Quiche Lorraine
Equipment
- 1 tart pan (11 inches) or 9 inches if you want a deeper quiche
Ingredients
- 1 pâte brisée
- 200 g thick sliced smoked bacon or slab smoked bacon cut into ¼ strips
- 3 eggs large
- 300 g crème fraîche or 200 g crème fraîche and 100 ml milk
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- salt not too much because of the bacon
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F.
- Grease a tart pan (11-inch).
- Lightly flour a flat surface and a rolling pin. Roll out the dough and precisely fit it in a tart pan (11 inches). Poke the dough all over with a fork. Then put the pie in the fridge until ready to use.
- Meanwhile, in a pan, cook the bacon over medium heat until slighly browned. Then drain the bacon in a food strainer or on a paper towel. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
- Remove your tart pan from the fridge. Sprinkle evenly the bacon on the bottom of the pie. Pour the egg mixture into the tart.
- Bake at 375 F for about 30 minutes or until lightly golden.
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