Classic Quiche Lorraine Recipe

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The entertaining season is in full gear and the menu cries out for a classic -- Quiche Lorraine.

As I discovered on a recent visit to the City of Light, this old standby still reigns at Paris sidewalks cafes and bistros. It also continues to star, in many variations, on French tables on Sunday afternoons at home.

The creamy custard pie, replete with cheese, herbs, bits of smoked bacon or ham, always lends an elegant note to a late afternoon or weekend gathering. Serve it alongside a savory rice pilaf and a bountiful salad with tomatoes, avocado or perhaps rolled anchovies. Follow with a platter of brownies or an assortment of cookies or tea cakes and -- Voila! -- you have the makings of a cozy little party.

These days, on both sides of the Atlantic, quiche often reflects a world of flavors, be they greens (lightly cooked spinach, Swiss chard, kale or broccoli rabe) or sauteed bell peppers, leeks, onions or mushrooms. Seafood quiche made with shrimp, crabmeat, lobster or salmon is a gustatory delight, as is one made with smoked ham, turkey or sausage.

The starting point of any good quiche is the crust. You can buy a 9-inch pie crust or a 10-inch straight side tart crust, or make yourself using the timeless pie crust recipe below (from my cookbook "Brown Sugar").

When making the piecrust from scratch, simply mix the flour, shortening and cold water, roll out the dough, fit into the pie or tart pan, trim and crimp edges. A 9-inch Pyrex pie pan that is 1 1/2 inch deep works fine, and so does a 10-inch, inch deep, straight side tin quiche or tart pan.

Partially bake the crust for about 20 minutes at 400 degrees. (See directions in recipe below for partially baked crust.) After the crust is partially baked, brush liberally with beaten egg white to keep it from becoming soggy during the baking.

After that, it's smooth sailing: Whisk together the eggs, milk and a pinch of herb; then stir in the cheese and whatever other ingredients you desire. Pour the filling into the waiting piecrust, and bake the quiche until it is golden and puffed and delicious.

 

Classic Quiche Lorraine

Makes 6 servings.

1 (9-inch) pie crust or (10-inch) tart crust, partially baked (see directions below)

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups milk, at room temperature

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or hot pepper sauce

1 cup grated Gruyere or Swiss cheese

7 or 8 strips of bacon, crisply cooked, or 1/2 cup finely diced cooked ham

 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Partially bake the piecrust according to the directions below and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs lightly, and then stir in the milk, nutmeg, and cayenne or hot pepper sauce, and mix until well blended. Sprinkle half of the cheese on the bottom of the pie shell. Then, crumble the bacon and sprinkle over the cheese, or scatter over the diced ham. Pour in the egg-milk mixture, and sprinkle over the remaining grated cheese.

Place the pie on the bottom oven shelf and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until puffed and lightly browned (a knife inserted into the center should come out clean but moist). If the pastry edges begin to brown too quickly during the baking, cover with strips of foil.

When done, remove the quiche from the oven, and let set on a wire rack for a few minutes to allow the custard to set, and then cut into wedges and serve.

 

BELL PEPPER QUICHE

Makes 6 servings.

1 (9-inch pie) crust or (10-inch) tart crust, partially baked (see directions below)

1 large red pepper

1 large yellow pepper

2 to 3 tablespoons olive or grapeseed oil

1 small onion, thinly sliced

1 or 2 cloves garlic, crushed

3 or 4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or cilantro or 2 teaspoons dried herb

1 tablespoon flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups milk, at room temperature

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne or hot pepper sauce

1/2 cup grated cheese, such as Parmesan or Pecorino

 

Partially bake the piecrust according to directions below.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Rinse and dry the peppers and cut into thin strips, discarding the seeds and core. Heat the oil in a medium-size skillet until quite hot but not smoking. Add the peppers, onion, garlic, and basil or cilantro. Saute for about 5 minutes, stirring, or until peppers are just tender but not browned.

Stir in the flour, salt and black pepper, and saute over medium heat for 2 or 3 minutes longer, stirring. Remove the skillet from the heat and set aside.

Combine in a medium bowl the eggs, milk, nutmeg, and cayenne or hot pepper sauce, and whisk until combined. Stir in the sauteed vegetables and mix well.

Pour the filling into the baked pie shell. Scatter over the grated cheese. Set the filled pie pan on the bottom oven rack, and bake the quiche for 30 to 35 minutes, or until puffed and lightly browned (a knife should come out clean but moist when inserted into the center). If the pastry edges to brown too quickly during the baking, cover with strips of foil.

Let the quiche set for a few minutes, and then cut into wedges for serving.

 

Variations: 1 cup blanched or lightly cooked chopped spinach or kale can substitute for the peppers, and so can a cup of diced smoked ham or turkey, crabmeat or shrimp. A generous teaspoon or two of chopped fresh rosemary can replace the basil or cilantro in the custard.

 

Corn Quiche

During the height of the corn season I make this luscious quiche often, scrapping the juicy corn kernels from the cobs. Frozen or canned corn is a good substitute if fresh corn is not available.

Makes 6 servings.

1 9-inch pie crust, or 10-inch tart crust, partially baked (see directions below)

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup heavy cream, at room temperature

1 cup milk, at room temperature

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne or chili pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin or coriander seeds

1/2 cup grated cheese, such as Swiss or Gruyere

1 to 1 1/2 cups corn kernels, fresh or if frozen, thawed and drained

Prepare or buy a piecrust and partially bake according to directions below. Set the crust aside to cool. Meanwhile, in a large bowl the eggs, combine heavy cream, milk, nutmeg, cayenne or chili pepper, salt, black pepper, and cumin or coriander, and half of the grated cheese. Whisk until well blended.

Stir in the corn, mixing well again. Pour the custard into the partially baked pie shell and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake the quiche 30 to 35 minutes or until it is golden brown and puffy (a knife inserted into the center should come out clean but moist). If the pastry begins to brown to quickly, cover with strips of foil.

Let the pie set for a few minutes, and then cut into serving wedges.

 

PARTIALLY BAKED SINGLE PIE OR TART CRUST

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled

4 to 6 tablespoons ice water, or as needed

1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar

1 egg white, lightly beaten

Have available a 9-inch (1 1/2-inch deep) Pyrex pie pan, or a 10-inch (1 inch deep) straight side tin tart or quiche pan.

Sift the flour and salt into a large shallow bowl. Cut the butter into 1/2-inch size pieces and place into the bowl and mix well.

Chill the flour mixture for 30 to 40 minutes. Then, using a food processor, a pastry cutter or two knives, process or cut the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse cornmeal.

Place the ice water into a small cup and stir in the vinegar. Sprinkle the water over the dough 1 tablespoon at a time, lifting with a fork to dampen all over. When the dough is moist and sticky, but not mushy wet, quickly stir together with a fork and gather into a disk or ball.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Using the heel of your hand, smear the dough 2 or 3 times in a forward motion to evenly distribute the butter. Don't overwork the dough or it will become tough.

Form the dough into a ball, dusting lightly with flour if it sticks. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap or wax paper and chill for 30 minutes to an hour.

To form the piecrust, place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and roll out into a 12 to 13-inch circle. Carefully transfer the dough to the pie or tart pan and fit snugly into the pan, pressing the dough to the sides of the pan with your fingers. Trim the dough to 1/2 to 3/4 inch beyond the edge of the pie pan (less for a tart pan).

Then, stand the overhang dough onto the rim of the pie or tart pan and flute with fingertips, or crimp with a fork. Prick the crust all over with the fork and chill in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes, or for at least 30 minutes or longer in the fridge.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cover the bottom and sides of the pie crust with a 12 to 13-inch circle of foil -- heavy duty works best -- and weigh the pie shell with 3 cups or so of dried macaroni, peas, beans or rice, so as to prevent the crust from shrinking as it bakes. (The dried ingredients can be stored in a container or canister and used over and over again.)

Set the filled pan on the lower oven rack and bake for 15 to 16 minutes or until the pastry is set and dry and flaky. Carefully remove the sheet of foil and the dried ingredients. If the crust has air bubbles, gently prick with a fork to deflate.

Bake the crust for about 5 minutes longer, or just until it it lightly tinged brown, watching carefully so as not to over brown.

Remove the crust from the oven, cool, and then brush liberally with beaten egg white to keep it from becoming soggy during the baking. Pour in the filling and bake the quiche according to recipe directions.

 

Joyce White is an authority on new American cooking. She is the author of 18 cookbooks (click here), including "Seriously Simple Holidays: Recipes and Ideas to Celebrate the Season," and also a James Beard award-winning radio show host.

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