Brunch At Home: Quiche Lorraine

The original ‘quiche Lorraine’ was an open pie with a filling consisting of an egg and cream custard with smoked bacon. It was only later that cheese was added to the quiche Lorraine. Add onions and you have quiche Alsacienne. The bottom crust was originally made from bread dough, but that has long since evolved into a short-crust or puff pastry crust.  Speaking of the flakey pastry crust, making sure it is flash baking it prior to adding the egg mixture keeps the bottom from being undercooked and doughy on the bottom.

We prefer a quiche with a bit of cheese, a bit of bacon, and a bit of leeks as the combination of the flavors is just really very tasty.  We also don't have a tart pan as ours was bent in one of our moves; so we use a pie pan.  It works out just fine, we just have to cook it a bit longer as it is thicker.

This delicious yet simple dish is a welcome change from the quick breakfast fare that gets most of us through the week.  Splitting up tasks makes this a nice easy couple recipe, Tara made the crust while I prepped the filling.  We also try to stir together the pastry dough the day before so it is ready to be rolled out in the morning.  It is a nice indulgent bunch for a lazy weekend morning.

Quiche Lorraine

Adapted from the Joy of Cooking

Flaky Pastry Dough (below)
4 oz. bacon, chopped into 1 inch pieces
4 oz. Gruyere cheese, grated
3 leeks, thinly sliced (approximately 1/3 cup)
1 1/2 cups heavy cream, creme fraiche, or half cream and half milk
3 large, lightly beaten
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg (ground nutmeg works fine)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Prepare the Flaky Pastry Dough in a 9.5 or 10 inch tart pan and brush lightly with egg yolk; bake for approximately 10 minutes.

Brown the bacon in a skillet. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain.  Sautee the leeks until soft and nearly translucent.

In a large bowl, whisk toget

her the cream, eggs, salt, and pepper until smooth. 

Arrange the browned bacon and leeks on the bottom of the crust, top with the cheese. Gently pour the egg mixture over the cheese.  Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until the middle has set.

Flazy Pastry Dough

Makes two 9 inch pie crust, one 9 inch covered pie crust, or two 9.5 or 10 inch tart crusts

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teasopoon white sugar (or 1 tablespoon powdered sugar)
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup solid vegetable shortening, or 1/2 cup shortening and 8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (we use Crisco for the shortening)
1/3 cup plus 1 Tablespoon ice water

Using a rubber spatula, thoroughly mix the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.

Break the shortening up into small pieces, then add to the flour mixture.  Cut in with a bastry blender, or you can use 2 knives.  As you are working the shortening in, stir up the flour from the bottom of the bowl.  Working it in until the consistency is like course crumbs, there will be some pea-sized pieces.  The mixture should seem dry, not greasy or pasty. 

Drizzle the ice cold water over the mixture.  Using the rubber spatula, cut it into the mixture until it looks evenly moistened and begins to form balls.  Press down on the dough with teh flat side of the spatula, if the balls of dough stick together then you have enough water; if not add another 1 to 2 tablespoons ice water.  The dough will look rough, not smooth.

Divide the dough in half, press each into a round flat disk, and wrap tightly in plastic.  Refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes and up to 2 days before rolling.  If wrapped airtight it can be frozen for up to six months.

 Enjoy!

-Dan